Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in cars increases the risk of persistent wheeze in adolescents

To the Editor: The adverse health effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are well documented. Workplaces are increasingly smoke-free, and restrictions on smoking in restaurants, pubs and clubs are increasing. Paediatricians counsel parents to make their children’s home smoke-free and to smoke outside if they can not quit. In Australia, attention is turning to ETS exposure in cars, in the belief that the confined space may result in increased exposure, even if the windows are wound down. However, few, if any, objective data on the health effects of ETS exposure in cars have been published.