Not all adults think that nicotine is "dangerous for children"

While most adults know that nicotine is bad for kids, smokers and other people are not convinced of this fact, according to a US study that suggests a need for public education on the risks of tobacco

. 83 percent of adults understand that nicotine is "definitely harmful" for children, badyzing national survey data from nearly 12,000 US adults found.

But adults who used multiple tobacco products were 60% more likely than non-smokers to say that nicotine was "not harmful" to children

"It is important that all adults Lead author of the study, Catherine Kemp, public health researcher at Georgia State University in Atlanta, said: "There is no established level of exposure to the nicotine for children, "said Kemp.

Nicotine exposure can cause stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, changes in heart rate and blood pressure, breathing problems and convulsions in children. Chronic exposure can lead to heart problems, asthma, developmental and behavioral disorders, increased risk of substance abuse.

In the study, women were 60% more likely than men to recognize that nicotine. Men, meanwhile, were 40% more likely than women to think that nicotine was not harmful or that they were not sure of the risks.

Compared to adults with a university degree, people with only a high school diploma Twice as likely to say that nicotine was not harmful to children, the researchers report in pediatrics. And when people did not finish high school, they were three times more likely to think that nicotine was not dangerous compared to university graduates.

Race was also badociated with how adults thought the risks of exposure to nicotine. Compared to white adults, respondents in Hispanic and African-American surveys were much less likely to believe that nicotine was definitely harmful.

Most often, children are exposed to nicotine from a parent or other person living at home. . In the study, about one-third of tobacco users had at least one young child at home.

One of the limitations of the study is that the investigation focused solely on the general question of whether nicotine could be harmful to children under 13, note the authors. Another disadvantage is that the study lacks data on what is behind people's beliefs about nicotine, so it's unclear how many might say that it's not dangerous for children . Dr. Geetha Raghuveer, a cardiologist at Children's Hospital & Mercy and a professor at the Kansas City School of Medicine at the University of Missouri, said, "Men, for example, could be victims of denial or a real lack of understanding of the risks. They are less aware of the risks than women because they are less likely to take their children to medical exams and hear about the dangers of a pediatrician, said Raghuveer, who said: Did not participate in the study.

Less educated Adults, for their part, could be really less aware of the risks, "Raghuveer added.

" While the dangers of smoking for those who smoke are well known, those of second-hand smoke or "Many parents are also unaware of the particular risks of using liquid nicotine in electronic cigarettes," said Dr. Annie Lintzenich Andrews of the Medical University of South Carolina. Nicotine intoxications due to children ingesting liquid for e-cigarettes are becoming more common, "Andrews, who was not involved in the study, said by e-mail

" Proximity to nicotine products combined with underestimated adults. Exposure risk could lead to a higher risk of adverse events due to children's exposure to nicotine-based products, "added Andrews." Nicotine users would be a target population ideal for future public health interventions to reduce children's exposure to nicotine. "