
No Smoke without Fire... no Smoke without Damage. Concern Raised over Smoking in Pregnancy at County Public Health Panel
Towards the end of last year a report on smoking in pregnancy was presented to the County's Public Health Cabinet Panel by Herfordshire's Director of Public Health. Encouraging changes in behaviour to improve public health is a difficult and sensitive process. An authoritarian approach or attitudes by professionals that come across as scolding or blaming are counter productive and worse than useless. People engaging in behaviour that is risky - to themselves or to others - must be treated with the respect that is due to everyone. That means trusting the individual and focussing on the problem - her addiction to nicotine - and providing sympathetic help to escape from the situation.