The rise in asthma in children is a big concern, as is the rise in mercury levels in women. Mercury is a teratogen that can have disastrous effects on a growing fetus. I find the reduced exposure of children to second hand smoke to be great news. Believe what you want about second hand smoke, it does harm children. In my business we use many types of air monitoring equipment. One of the monitors we use is a photo-ionization detector (PID) which is used to detect the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOC). One of the most hazardous volatiles is benzene. Benzene has an OSHA regulated permissible exposure limit, the amount you may be exposed to over an 8-hour day without suffering any adverse effects, of one part per million (ppm). I've had people blow cigarette smoke into a PID and monitor shot up to well over 100 ppm. Adults who go to a bar or club have a choice as to whether they want to be exposed to second-hand smoke or not. Children with parents who smoke do not.