Early Childhood Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke and its Effects on Allergy and Asthma

Tobacco use is one of the world’s leading public health concerns. Globally and domestically, active and passive smoking are associated with an array of deleterious health outcomes. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), also referred to as passive smoke and second-hand smoke, exists in all countries and cultures and there is no level of exposure to ETS that is risk free [1]. Over 50 % of children worldwide are exposed to ETS in their homes while 60 % of US children between ages 3 and 11 years are exposed [1, 2].