Evidence that smoking can harm nonsmokers has been accumulating for the last decade.

In a study of nearly 650 children aged 14 to 17, 98% knew that smoking harmed their health and 89% knew that passive smoking was harmful - yet one in five were, or had been, smokers.

The study, published in the April issue of the journal Chest, is the first to show that smoking in pregnancy can harm not only a woman's children, but her grandchildren as well.

The packs will have to carry a general warning, "Tobacco seriously damages health," in addition to specific ones like "Smoking causes cancer," "Smoking causes fatal diseases" and "Pregnant women, smoking harms your baby."

The realization that smoking harms more than those doing the puffing has created a new category of law that sets smokers apart.

The traditional warning that smoking harms your health cuts no ice with them.

I voted against this report because I believe that restrictions should only be imposed in cases where smoking will harm other people.

It has long been established that smoking harms the health of those who do the smoking.

"Growing up in a smoke-free home for 14 years has more impact than one or two lectures as a high school freshman on how smoking harms the lungs," Miss Wander said.

"Kids are apt to remember lessons about how smoking harms the lungs if the parents point out how a relative's ability to participate in sports was harmed by smoking."