Make the CASE for children’s health

by Mary Ann Kramer

"If you smoke around your children, they can inhale the equivalent of 102 packs of cigarettes by age 5." These startling words are found on a poster produced by Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco.

The New Ulm Diocesan Council of Catholic Women received a grant from a coalition "Make the CASE for Children’s Health, Catholic Coalition for Children and A Safe Environment." Five dioceses throughout the country received monies through the National Council of Catholic Women, which is part of the coalition.

Our goal, as stated in our grant application, is "to educate the women (and indirectly all the members) of our diocese as to the impact of second-hand smoke on the health of our children." To that end we have assembled an informational packet which has been given to the president of each parish women’s organization affiliated with the diocesan group. We hope that the materials included will be used to promote the accomplishment of our goal.

As Pope John Paul II said in On the Family, "In the Christian view, our treatment of children becomes a measure of our fidelity to the Lord himself." Our responsibility to the earth, God’s gift to all creatures, and our commitment to respect the life and dignity of all persons are the foundation for our involvement in projects dealing with environment and ecology. We found many groups working on various aspects of this issue including the effects of advertising on young people, the impact of environmental agents on children, the various chemicals in smoke which are detrimental to children’s health, and ways to be assertive and protect your personal environment.

It seems to this writer that our sense of responsibility to the common good, especially that of our vulnerable children can and should be strengthened first of all through awareness raising and education with the research and the facts. Then we must make a commitment to personal and united action to provide our young people and really all of us with a healthier and safer environment.

Mary Ann Kramer of Lucan is the New Ulm Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Community Concerns Coordinator.