Study Reveals New Tobacco Residue Dangers

The health effects of first-hand cigarette smoke are widely known to cause cancer, lung problems, heart attacks and other serious side effects to the smoker. The negative effects of second-hand smoke are also well known and have resulted in many bans on public smoking.

smoking man

Restaurants, businesses, public buildings, and in some cases, other public locations such as bus depots and parks have banned cigarette smoking due to the harmful health hazards of second-hand smoke. Realizing the dangerous effects of second-hand smoke has resulted in many individuals taking their cigarette smoking habits outdoors away from other people.

Parents, realizing the dangers to their children, open windows when smoking in the home or car, close doors to rooms when smoking cigarettes or smoke outside away from children and pets to prevent them from being subjected to second-hand smoke.

Third-Hand Smoke: Tobacco Residue Clinging to Surfaces

While the dangers of first-hand and second-hand smoke are well known, according to Washington (AFP), a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reports that third-hand smoke – tobacco residue clinging to surfaces – is equally dangerous, especially to infants and children.

Tobacco residue clings to surfaces such as drapes, furniture, car seats, walls and other items where it can sit and linger for months. The leftover reside reacts with nitrous acid, forming carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines, or TSNAs. According the study, “most vehicle engines emit some nitrous acid that can infiltrate the passenger compartment of a vehicle;” however nitrous acid may be present anywhere in the air.