TAKE THE PLEDGE TO TAKE SMOKING 
OUTSIDE. 

Just like smoke from a grill or exhaust from a car, cigarette smoke contains harmful 
chemicals. Inhaling it can cause asthma, respiratory problems and even ear infections in 
kids. Health experts agree secondhand smoke can also lead to cancer and heart disease. 
The best way to avoid the risk is to smoke away from the people you care about. Take 
the pledge to take smoking outside. Complete the one on the flip side of this poster and 
display it. Do it for you. And the people you care about. 
 
Secondhand smoke increases: 

	-	the risk of heart disease. 
	-	the risk of lung cancer. 
	-	serious respiratory problems in children, including asthma and respiratory tract infections. 
	-	the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). 
	-	middle ear infections in children. 
	-	the risk of premature birth by 50–80%. 
	-	the rates of hospitalization of infants with non-smoking mothers. 
	-	the risk of breast cancer in women exposed at any age before first full-term pregnancy. 

Here’s what you can do: 

	-	Don’t smoke in your home or car. 
	-	Politely let people know that you believe smokers should “take it outside” so that they know not 
		to smoke in your home or car or around your children and loved ones. 
	-	Don’t allow your babysitters or childcare providers to smoke around your children. 
	-	Clean away the tobacco smell in your home and car that can trigger your urge to smoke inside. 
	-	Keep your home smoke-free to protect your loved ones, guests and pets from secondhand smoke exposure. 

Some recent findings about Delaware: 

Most Delawareans agree that people should be protected from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Only one out of every four Delawareans smokes. 

Sources:
 
Center for Disease Control; BRFSS data, Delaware
 

I pledge to take smoking outside to protect the health of the people I care about and limit their exposure to the 
harmful effects of secondhand smoke. 
 
 
SIGNATURE DATE 
Ready to quit smoking? Call 1-866-409-1858. If you’re a Delaware resident 18 or older, a college student living in 
Delaware or a member of the military serving at Dover Air Force Base, you’re eligible for this free service. You may 
even qualify for free quit-smoking aids like nicotine patches and gum.