AS the August bank holiday approaches, smokers are being urged to think twice about lighting up during long journeys and in traffic queues.

Smokefree South West is keen to highlight the risks of passive smoke exposure particularly to children during the public holiday.

Around 80 per cent of second-hand smoke is invisible, and contains 4000 chemicals including harmful cancer-causing toxins and poisons.

Fiona Andrews, right, director of Smokefree South West, warned that simply opening the car window is not enough to protect children from second-hand smoke.

She said: “Every day millions of children in the UK are exposed to second-hand smoke, which puts them at increased risk of ear infections, asthma attacks, wheezing and other breathing problems, headaches and nausea as well as increased risk of other serious diseases. Treatment, hospital and GP visits for illnesses related to passive smoke exposure cost the NHS more than £23.6 million each year.”