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You might not be a smoker yourself, but hanging around people who are smoking can cause you to inhale noxious cigarette fumes. For years, scientists have cautioned against the ill-effects of such second-hand smoke. Now they're warning about the dangers of "third-hand smoke"-the chemical traces that cling to a smoker, and that are left behind in a room where someone has been smoking.
A team of researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that remnants of a smoke don't just inertly settle onto surfaces, they can react with a common gas (nitrous acid, which is emitted from gas appliances and vehicles, among other sources) to create carcinogenic compounds known as tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) [Scientific American]. The study (pdf) was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
And You Thought Second-Hand Smoke was Bad? - CBS News
Seeded on Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:15 PM EST
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The researchers say with so many toxic compounds, young infants could be at a risk as they crawl around on rugs and come into contact with dust. However, they also caution that there needs to be more research into third-hand smoke, and note that the study doesn’t indicate that homes and couches that smell of smoke could potentially cause cancer. To deal with third-hand smoke, researchers recommend avoiding smoking in closed spaces like homes and cars. Also, in enclosed spaces that have seen plenty of puffs over the years, they suggest replacing furniture, carpet and even wallboard to cut down on the amount of TSNA exposure.
- 4 votes
#1 - Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:16 PM EST
Alright!! If someone breaks wind.. it lingers too.. and it can be harmful
- 4 votes
#4 - Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:19 PM ESTYou're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
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