Even Thirdhand Smoke Poses Health Risks

October 10, 2017

It turns out that the danger posed by cigarettes does not end when the smoke clears. The Philadelphia Tribune reports that the residual toxins and chemicals deposited by cigarette smoke create a serious and long-term health hazard. This is known as thirdhand smoke and there is a growing awareness of the danger it poses.

Thirdhand smoke can take five years to clear and in a new study has been shown to damage the liver and lungs of mice. It also was shown to cause hyperactivity, stunt the healing process and increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

It should not be surprising that the poisons contained in a cigarette do not miraculously disappear when it is extinguished. Anyone who has dealt with a smoker is aware of the odor that clings to their hair and skin. One way to measure exposure to thirdhand smoke is by analyzing nicotine levels on your skin, especially your hands.

Cigarette smoke visibly stains and contaminates almost any surface it comes in contact with. These are not inert remnants but continue off-gassing harmful chemicals. Over 70 cancer causing toxins and irritants are found in thirdhand smoke. This murderer’s row of chemicals includes nicotine, hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, benzene, arsenic and cadmium.

It now seems obvious that the smoker is not the only one harmed by the clinging and toxic cloud of smoke generated by cigarettes. Servers, bystanders and nonsmoking family members were being subjected to cancer-causing cigarette fumes, in some cases for decades, before public outcry banished smoking to the peripheries of society. Here, it was viewed as causing less harm, or at least harming only the actual smoker.

Tobacco smoke does not dissipate but instead settles and clings to surfaces. This is why thirdhand smoke may require remediation long after a cigarette has been smoked in the vicinity. For this reason, the best policy is to not allow smoking indoors at any time. Also request smoke-free vehicles and rooms when traveling.

When cleaning surfaces that were exposed to smoke, it is imperative that you do not introduce even more poisons in the form of toxic cleaners. Many cleaning products, even “green” ones, can introduce additional toxins to your indoor environment. Ammonia is perhaps the most well-known offender when it comes to making your home "unlivable" during and for several hours after its use. It's extremely irritating to your skin, eyes and lungs by itself, and can be lethal if haphazardly mixed with other chemicals.

Nontoxic cleaners can be made from common household items such as vinegar and baking soda. They can usually cut through dirt and sanitize just as well as toxic household products. Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to remove house dust, which is often contaminated with traces of chemicals. Make sure you avoid cleaning products that contain 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME) — two toxic glycol ethers that can damage fertility and cause fetal harm.

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