The Doctor's Guide reports that a child's race may be a factor in determing his or her susceptibility to toxins associated with environmental tobacco smoke. A new study published in the journal CHEST reveals that African American children with asthma who are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke have significantly higher toxin levels when compared to their Caucasian counterparts.

‘African American children suffer from higher rates of tobacco-related disorders, such as asthma, sudden-infant death syndrome, and low birth weight, and we need to know why,’ says lead author Stephen Wilson MD, University of Cincinnati. ‘So our goal is to understand how certain populations – particularly those groups who are most susceptible – respond to [environmental tobacco smoke] exposure.’

‘Exposure to tobacco smoke is dangerous for everyone, regardless of age or race,’ says Mark J. Rosen, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. ‘These findings underline the importance of eliminating environmental tobacco smoke in every setting, especially those where children are present.’