Fire Down Below

Bad news for the girls on the smoking front.

Even non-pregnant teens may want to steer clear of smokers if they can: New York University researchers found that exposure to second-hand smoke is tied to hearing loss in teenagers. Dr. Anil Lalwani, who worked on the report, says that this could explain some of the other problems tied to kids exposed to smoke. For example, if a child can't hear a teacher's questions or instructions, they could act in ways that would cause them to be diagnosed with ADHD or ADD. "We need to alter our public policies to protect the innocent bystanders who would otherwise be exposed to smoke," said Lalwani.

Like, perhaps, in the back yard!