We know that smoking and inhaling second-hand smoke are health hazards, but according to new research posted on MedicalNewsToday.com, “nicotine exposure causes asthma in the smoker’s grandchildren.”

Asthma can be caused by many factors, but expectant mothers who live with smokers or who insist on smoking may increase their children’s risk of developing this condition, which may later be passed on to the next generation.

Asthma is considered to be one of the most common chronic childhood diseases. According to WebMD.com, asthma inflames and constricts airways, causing shortness of breath, coughing, and chest tightness.

Researchers from the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in California foundthat nicotine can affect the development of the fetus’s lungs, causing the respiratory system to be more prone to asthma. This is due the increase in certain proteins that inhibit normal growth.

Although there are available treatments for nicotine-exposed mothers-to-be, prevention is still better than medication. If you’re pregnant, steer clear of cigarettes and the people who smoke them. If you’re a smoker, be considerate and do your best to avoid having those around you inhale your puffs. Being responsible for yourself and respecting the condition of others may just save the next few generations from a dangerous respiratory condition.

(Photo by James Rea via Flickr Creative Commons)