Secondhand smoke lowers kids' antioxidants?

Scientists studying 2,000 children and teens found that the higher their blood level of cotinine, a byproduct of metabolizing tobacco smoke, the lower their level of antioxidants.

Health experts say antioxidants help protect the body against cell damage.

The U.S. /*Environmental Protection Agency*/ has said children are especially vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke because they are still developing physically, with higher breathing rates than adults.

/*Secondhand smoke*/ causes some 3,000 lung cancer deaths per year in nonsmokers, and can trigger asthma in children, as well as increase the risk of /*Sudden Infant Death Syndrome*/.

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