Smoking restrictions in the homes of children with cancer.

Objectives: To examine smoking restrictions in households of children with cancer and their effect on biological measures of children's secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe).
Methods: A sample of 135 parents of nonsmoking children with cancer who lived with a smoker completed structured interviews.
Results: Approximately 43% of families prohibited smoking in the home. Children living in homes that prohibited smoking had median cotinine levels that were 71% and 52% lower than did those from homes with no and partial restrictions.
Conclusions: Parents should be directed to completely ban all smoking from the home and car to best protect their children from SHSe.