Should We Worry About Thirdhand Smoke?

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Recommended: Summary of the impact of smoking

Most of us already know about the dangers of smoking and inhaling secondhand smoke. But now, new findings reveal that we are not safe from carcinogens coming from tobacco, just because we do not inhale visible smoke directly. Scientist have found that residual nicotine, as well as other chemicals, left on various surfaces long after cigarette smoke has been cleared from the air, consists of thirdhand smoke. This mixture of toxic chemicals continue to float in the air, cling to clothes, hair, carpets, furniture and most surfaces, and pose a threat to health even when the smoker has left the room.

What is Thirdhand Smoke?
Thirdhand smoke (THS) is secondhand smoke that accumulates on surfaces and ages with time, then progressively becomes more toxic. It is a health hazard to children, spouses, workers, and other people who are exposed to the residues where tobacco smoking has occurred or is being allowed. This includes public places like restaurants and hotels, vehicles, abandoned apartments, children's bedrooms, and other places which were once used or is still being used by smokers. One also inhales THS when a smoker enters an elevator and people around him smell nicotine fuming from his hair and clothes. The worst thing is that even if a contaminated room is cleaned, vacuumed, aired out, or repainted, chemical residues still remain on surfaces and everyone who is exposed to these substances are still at risk for health problems.
THS represents a third way people can be exposed to nicotine and other chemicals contained in cigarettes. One study, published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal, showed that cigarettes residues can interact with dust, ozone and other indoor air pollutants, form airborne particles to be...

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... Adhami N, Frankos M, et al. Cigarette Smoke Toxins Deposited on Surfaces: Implications for Human Health. PLOS One. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0086391
DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Carcinogens form from third-hand smoke. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 9 February 2010. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100208154651.htm.

WebMD. Risks of Thirdhand Cigarette Smoke Can Linger. http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20110113/risks-of-thirdhand-cigarette-smoke-can-linger Hang B, Sarker A, Havel C, et al. Thirdhand smoke causes DNA damage in human cells. Mutagenesis, 2013. http://mutage.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/03/04/mutage.get013.abstract

Huffington Post. Your Nose Knows: The Invisible Threat of 'Thirdhand Smoke.' http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/26/thirdhand-smoke-smoking-risks_n_938241.html

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