| Have you ever take a sniff of a smoker's hair or | | | | observe the smoke entering a youngster's nose; they |
| clothes and felt faint from that disgusting scent of stale | | | | therefore believe that if they can't see it, then it is not |
| cigarette smoke? Or possibly you've walked into an | | | | going to have any affect on their children. |
| elevator and questioned how come it smells like | | | | Smokers themselves are of course contaminated in |
| somebody has lit up a cigarette when there is not | | | | the same ways...smokers then go on to actually give |
| even a smoker nearby. Welcome to the world of third | | | | off toxins [from their clothing and hair]. |
| hand smoke. | | | | Why is third-hand smoke hazardous? |
| Third-hand smoke is tobacco smoke contamination | | | | The 2006 surgeon general's report says there's no risk |
| that remains after the cigarette has been | | | | free level of tobacco exposure.... There are some 250 |
| extinguished," says Jonathan Winickoff, a paediatrician | | | | poisonous toxins to be found in the smoke from a lit |
| at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center located in | | | | cigarette. One of these is lead. Very respected studies |
| Boston and the author of a study on this newly | | | | have shown that tiny levels of exposure to lead are |
| discovered phenomenon printed in the journal | | | | clearly associated with reduced IQ. |
| paediatrics. According to this study, a great number of | | | | What do you consider the most dangerous compound |
| individuals, in particular people who smoke, have no | | | | in cigarette smoke? |
| concept that third-hand smoke - the cocktail of toxins | | | | I would say cyanide, which is used in chemical |
| and chemicals that hangs around in carpets, furniture, | | | | weapons. It actually interferes with the release of |
| clothing and other fabrics for hours or even days after | | | | oxygen to tissues. It competitively binds to hemoglobin |
| a cigarette is extinguished - can prove to be a health | | | | [meaning it competes with oxygen for binding sites on |
| hazard for babies and youngsters alike. Of the 1,500 | | | | the blood's oxygen-carrying molecule, hemoglobin]. |
| smokers and non-smokers Winickoff reviewed, the | | | | Basically people with cyanide poison turn blue.... [And] |
| absolute majority concurred that second-hand smoke | | | | arsenic, that is a poison used to kill mammals. We |
| is hazardous. Yet when questioned as to whether | | | | [used to] use it to kill rats. And there it is in cigarette |
| they concurred with the assertion, "Breathing air in a | | | | smoke. |
| room today where people smoked yesterday can | | | | Why are the risks associated with exposure to |
| harm the health of infants and children," only 65% of | | | | third-hand smoke different for children and adults? |
| non-smokers and 43% of smokers responded "yes." | | | | The developing brain is uniquely susceptible to |
| "Third-hand smoke," a term coined by Winickoff's own | | | | extremely low levels of toxins. Remember how we |
| research team, is a comparatively newfangled | | | | talked about the layers of toxin deposits on surfaces? |
| construct but it is one that's concerned researchers | | | | Who gets exposure to those surfaces? Babies and |
| and non-smokers for numerous years. "The third-hand | | | | children are closer to [surfaces such as floors]. They |
| smoke idea and concern over that,as been around for | | | | tend to touch or even mouth [put their mouths to] the |
| a long time. It's only recently been given a name and | | | | contaminated surfaces. Imagine a teething infant - |
| studied," says Stanton Glantz, director of the Center | | | | pretty much everytihng they touch goes into their |
| for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the | | | | mouths. |
| University of California, San Francisco. "The level of | | | | Children ingest double the amount of dust that |
| toxicity in cigarette smoke is just astronomical when | | | | grown-ups do. Let's suppose an adult male weighs |
| compared to other environmental toxins [such as | | | | around 150 pounds [68 kilograms]. Let's say an infant |
| particles found in automobile exhaust]," he adds, but | | | | weighs 15 pounds [seven kilograms]. The infant ingests |
| notes that he is unaware of any scientific studies | | | | twice the dust [due to faster respiration and it's |
| directly linking third-hand smoke to diseases or medical | | | | proximity to surfaces whcih are dusty]. In effect, the |
| conditions [as opposed to second-hand smoke, which | | | | infant will get 20 times the exposure as the adult. |
| has long been associated with diseases and health | | | | Studies in rats suggest that tobacco toxin exposure is |
| problems]. | | | | the leading cause of sudden infant death syndrome |
| asked Winickoff to explain precisely what third-hand | | | | (SIDS). We think it is [caused by] respiratory |
| smoke is and how come it presents a risk to public | | | | suppression. |
| health. | | | | What types of places or materials harbor the greatest |
| How precisely do you differentiate between second | | | | amount of third-hand smoke? |
| and third hand smoke? | | | | Anywhere you see an enclosed space you should be |
| Third-hand smoke refers to the tobacco toxins that | | | | on the lookout out for [it]. |
| build up over time-one smoked cigarette will coat the | | | | By introducing the phrase "third-hand smoke" in your |
| surface of a particular room [a second cigarette will | | | | research, what do you hope to accomplish? |
| add another coat, and so on ad nauseum]. The | | | | This study points to the need for every smoker to try |
| third-hand smoke is the material that remains [after | | | | to quit smoking. That is the only way to completely |
| viewable or "second-hand smoke" has dispersed from | | | | protect their children.... Really, I think that what this says |
| the air].... You can not really measure it, since it depends | | | | is that we need to have sympathy for smokers and |
| on the area.... In a tiny space like a car the deposits | | | | help them quit smoking.... [And also] that the introduction |
| may be really heavy.... Smokers [may] smoke in a | | | | of this concept will lead to more smoke-free spaces. |
| different room or switch on a fan. They do not | | | | |