DO YOU KNOW THE DANGERS OF THIRDHAND SMOKE?

DO YOU KNOW THE DANGERS OF THIRDHAND SMOKE?

Well, hold the phone! You can now forget about the escalating threats of coronavirus, as I have just discovered that there is something even more threatening that surrounds us all. We are all in imminent danger from the effects of thirdhand smoke. My first reaction was that I had no idea what that term even meant. My ruthless research informed me that there are three kinds of smoke. We all know the unhealthy effects of firsthand smoking and also, to a lesser but still significant degree, the effects of secondhand smoke.

Thirdhand "smoke" isn't actually smoke at all. It's the residue of nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco, some of which are toxic, that remain long after active smoking is over. Some of these chemicals stick to surfaces, and others attach to dust particles. Still, others often penetrate deep into carpets, drapes, and upholstery. As the compounds linger, they may react with oxidants or other particles in the room's atmosphere. The chemical reactions can create potentially harmful byproducts that can become airborne.

A new study out of Yale University conducted a lengthy experiment in a movie theatre that had not ever allowed smoking. They then examined the quality of the air before, during, and after audiences watched a movie. The study may be the first to show that people can transmit nicotine and other potentially toxic chemicals via their clothing if they are smokers. Results of the testing showed a wide array of hazardous volatile organic compounds that were off-gassing from the audience -- including some that are known to be carcinogens in people, such as benzene and formaldehyde. Even more disturbing, the study found those chemical exposure levels could be the equivalent of between one and 10 cigarettes by the end of the movie.

Despite declines in smoking in some developed nations, there are still over a billion smokers worldwide, according to the World Health Organization."That billion smokers contribute to about 880,000 deaths from secondhand smoke," said a noted cardiologist at Mount Sinai in New York City who researches the health impact of smoking. "I call it a form of murder.” Now we have to worry about the impact of thirdhand smoke as well.

Non-smokers very readily can detect an environment that has been inhabited by smokers. It is one reason we have non-smoking rooms in hotels, smoking elimination in restaurants and some people will not buy a smoky smelling house or car. Will we carry our concerns about smoking to the level of ostracizing or rejecting those who smell of smoke?. If you “stink” of smoke will you be deprived of the use of a public bus, airplanes, washrooms and even entering a health care facility? If carried to the extreme, we will have identified a new cohort of societal outcasts!

The only consolation for the carriers of secondhand smoke is that there are legions of salivating lawyers who will leap to the challenge of filing a class action discrimination lawsuit faster than you can say,” Do you have a light?”