We’ve all heard of first-hand smoke, which is the smoke a smoker inhales through a cigarette or pipe, and the health risks it poses to the smoker. And, naturally, we’ve also heard of second-hand smoke, which is the smoke inhaled from the exhaust of a cigarette, and the health risks it can cause to smokers and non-smokers in the vicinity. But many have not heard of a new term that is popping up in conversations: third-hand smoke.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the definition of third-hand smoke is the residual of tobacco smoke contamination that settles into the environment and stays there even after a cigarette has been extinguished. Even though the smoke eventually clears, the carcinogens and toxic chemicals in the smoke settle somewhere in your house, car, workplace or public facility and remain there as a hidden threat.
So this means, even after the secondhand smoke has been depleted from a room, health risks still exist. Third-hand smoke can be especially dangerous to infants and children, in addition to those with a weakened immune system. When a child plays in a house that contains third-hand smoke, they constantly come into contact with these chemicals.
Third-hand smoke is the odor you catch off someone who walks by, or the smell on your clothing after it has been exposed to second-hand smoke. It is easy to notice, as the smell clings to many surfaces including:
• Clothing
• Hair
• Furniture
• Upholstery
• Drapes
• Carpets
So how does third-hand smoke work? Without getting too tangled up in the chemistry, third-hand smoke becomes carcinogenic is by mixing with other indoor pollutants. Once the third-hand smoke mixes with these chemicals, it forms something called tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). TSNAs are the real culprit here! They are powerful cancer-causing materials detected in unburned tobacco and tobacco smoke.
So remember it’s especially important to be aware of third-hand smoke when concerning infants, children and those with a weakened immune system, but ultimately it poses a potential health threat to all who are exposed.
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