Yesterday I spoke of Third Hand Smoke believing that folks knew about it only to find out that most had never heard of it. My apologies for that oversight! You are not alone!
Researchers asked people if they agreed with the statement that “breathing air in a room today where people smoked yesterday can harm the health of infants and children.” Only 65 percent of nonsmokers and 43 percent of smokers agreed with that statement, which researchers interpreted as acknowledgement of the risks of Third Hand Smoke.
So today I will share a few facts about Third Hand Smoke and how it affects us and what to do about it.
What is Third Hand Smoke?
Third Hand Smoke consists of the tobacco residue from cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products that is left behind after smoking and builds up on surfaces and furnishings. Tobacco smoke is composed of numerous types of gasses and particulate matter, including carcinogens and heavy metals, like arsenic, lead, and cyanide. Tobacco residue is noticeably present in dust throughout places where smoking has occurred. The homes, hair, clothes, and cars of smokers can have significant levels of Third Hand Smoke contamination.
Gases can be absorbed into carpets, draperies, and other upholsteries. A 2002 study found that these toxic brews can then reemit back into the air and recombine to form ha... that remain at high levels long after smoking has stopped occurring.
Researchers have found tobacco grime in dust and on coffee tables in the homes of people who smoke, even if they don't smoke there. And they've found a metabolized version of nicotine in the hair and urine of children who live in those homes. In fact, The levels of tobacco toxins in the home of someone who smokes outside are up to seven times higher than they are in the house of a nonsmoker.
Among the substances in third-hand smoke are hydrogen cyanide, used in chemical weapons; butane, which is used in lighter fluid; toluene, found in paint thinners; arsenic; lead; carbon monoxide; and even polonium-210, the highly radioactive carcinogen that was used to murder former Russian spy Alexander V. Litvinenko in 2006. Eleven of the compounds are highly carcinogenic.
Third Hand Smoke has been found on windows, walls, floors, wood and metal but the most toxic surfaces are fabrics, upholstery, and carpets. Significant amounts of nicotine and related chemicals have been extracted from cotton cloth 19 months after smoke exposure had stopped!
Third Hand Smoke from E-cigarettes
Vaping is no exception.
Three of the 4 experiments showed significant increases in the amount of nicotine on all five surfaces (The floors, walls, windows, wood and metal surfaces). The floor and glass windows had the greatest increases in nicotine, on average by a factor of 47 and 6, respectively (p < .05).
A Threat to Children
Children ingest twice the amount of dust that grown-ups do. Let's say a grown-up weighs 150 pounds. Let's say a baby weighs 15 pounds. The infant ingests twice the dust [due to faster respiration and proximity to dusty surfaces]. Effectively, they'll get 20 times the exposure.
Young children are particularly vulnerable, because they can ingest tobacco residue by putting their hands in their mouths after touching contaminated surfaces.
Removing Third Hand Smoke
From your clothes
- Wash clothing with a cup of white vinegar
- Dry clean clothing that can’t be washed by machine or by hand
From your car
- Wipe down all vinyl surfaces with very hot water mixed with detergent
- Wipe glass surfaces with white vinegar
- Vacuum all carpeting and upholstery thoroughly
From your house
- Clean all walls with very hot water mixed with detergent
- Paint your walls with up to 3 layers of paint
- Steam clean your carpet and upholstery
- Wipe down all flat surfaces using vinegar
I hope this gives a clearer picture of how wide spread Third Hand Smoke is and the danger of exposure. We can’t very well exclude smokers from entering our homes, of course but especially around children, elderly and animals we can reduce the risks.
The best way is to maintain a Smoke FREE Environment!
