Asthma rates are down for young children in Canada, and researchers are crediting reduced exposure to smoking at home as one of the reasons.

'Don't smoke around kids, just for his health. For him it's the best thing.'— Jason Dennis, father

A Statistics Canada study released last week showed over the last eight years the number of kids exposed to smoke at home dropped from 24 per cent to just six per cent. That number is down both because fewer parents are smoking, and because parents like Jason Dennis of Prince Edward Island are taking their smoke breaks outside.

Dennis has been smoking for 20 years, but since his son was born two years ago, he and his wife don't smoke in their house.

"It was difficult at first but you just know, it's common sense," said Dennis.

"Don't smoke around kids, just for his health. For him it's the best thing."

Statistics Canada says because fewer parents are smoking in the home, it's no longer a major cause of asthma in children.

"It has kind of a double good news story there," said Joanne Ings, executive director of the P.E.I. Lung Association.

"People are more aware of it. Some of those messages about clean air are really having some impact."

Ings hopes the study will encourage those who haven't quit smoking in the home to consider it for the benefit of their children.

Atlantic Canada still has the highest rate of asthma in the country at just over 10 per cent, slightly higher than Quebec's.

Ings said other environmental factors beyond smoking are probably the reason, such as higher levels of humidity and more wood-burning stoves, which have been found to aggravate asthma.