Something new for the lexicon: Thirdhand smoke

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As if secondhand smoke wasn't nasty enough. Read on...

The remnants of cigarette smoke on fabrics and other surfaces pose a larger health hazard than previously believed, especially for young children, according to a new study.

The study, which was conducted at the Israel Institute of Technology, found that so-called thirdhand smoke increases the risk of respiratory illnesses among people who do not smoke.

Non-smokers are still likely to come into regular contact with the remains of cigarette smoke on carpeting, clothing, furniture and other surfaces.

The study, which was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, found that nicotine constitutes a major part of thirdhand smoke and often reacts with indoor air and fabrics to form pollutants that pose dangers to people's health.

The risk for young children, who are more likely to be crawling on carpets, is especially concerning, the study found. But people napping on tainted sofas or eating food that may have been previously exposed to the smoke are also at increased risk.

The thirdhand smoke increases health risks because the particles are able to be inhaled, be transferred through the skin or be ingested. The particles deposit themselves in mucous membranes or respiratory fluids and then transfer their toxicology within the body, the study found.

The thirdhand smoke particles often have "greater biological interaction, potential pro-inflammatory effects, higher particle deposition probability in the deeper respiratory regions and easier translocation within the body," the study said.

Exposure can result in reduced white blood cell activity, asthma and other mutagenic effects.



Thirdhand smoke exposure increases health risks in the Toronto Sun (QMI Agency)

Original research in the science journal Environmental Science and Technology by Lauren M. Petrick, Alona Svidovsky, and Yael Dubowski