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How third-hand smoke quietly harms your health? Do you know these shocking facts?
The residue left behind after a smoker puts out a cigarette, cigar or other combustible tobacco product is called third-hand smoke. In contrast, first-hand smoke is the smoke inhaled by the smoker himself, while second-hand smoke is the smoke released when the smoker exhales and burns the cigarette, which mixes into the environment and can be inhaled by others. Third-hand smoke is a relatively new concept that originated from a research team at the Harvard Cancer Center. It refers to the tobacco residue that remains on surfaces after second-hand smoke dissipates.
According to research, third-hand smoke is potentially harmful, especially for infants and young children, who are more likely to come into contact with toxin-containing surfaces.
Exposure and health effects
Humans can be exposed to third-hand smoke through inhalation, skin contact, or ingestion. Many common surfaces, such as furniture, walls, floors, and clothing, can accumulate components of third-hand smoke. Research shows that 22% of infants and young children are exposed to second- and third-hand smoke at home every year. This is a staggering proportion that covers a wide range of situations where 126 million non-smokers are exposed to harmful tobacco products every year.
Although research on third-hand smoke remains limited, a number of health problems have been linked to exposure. It is said that third-hand smoke may affect wound healing, alter the body's anti-inflammatory response, and cause permanent damage to DNA. Other health effects include increased incidence of asthma, coughing, and other respiratory conditions. Especially when pregnant women are exposed to third-hand smoke, it may hinder fetal lung development in the third trimester.
As for infants, exposure to third-hand smoke may also be a potential cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and has been linked to cognitive and memory deficits in growing children.
Chemical composition and storage
Third-hand smoke and its components have been detected in various indoor environments, and its chemical components remain on carpets, furniture and car interior surfaces. This shows that varying degrees of third-hand smoke contamination is quite common in strollers, clothing and other environments, even in homes where smoking is prohibited. Even more startling, the researchers found that even with voluntary indoor smoking bans, contaminants were still present in household materials.
Evidence shows that clusters of third-hand smoke react with environmental nitrogen acids to form carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). One of them, NNK (nicotine-derived nitrosamines), is a potent lung carcinogen that can be found everywhere in tobacco smoke and smokers’ homes, making it a potential source of harm to children.
Infants are particularly at risk because they are in constant contact with surfaces in the home and are more likely to ingest third-hand smoke residue from surfaces or dust.
Disease biomarkers
It is important to understand the biomarkers of third-hand smoke because they can indicate the severity and presence of disease. A study in mice found that biomarkers of THS appeared in the serum, liver and brain tissue of the mice after four weeks of exposure to the same levels as those of household smokers.
With prolonged exposure, mice showed increases in circulating inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor, and stress hormones after one month. Ongoing damage demonstrates oxidative stress and molecular damage, suggesting that long-term exposure to third-hand smoke may have significant impacts on human health.
Public awareness and solutions
Although third-hand smoke is a relatively new concept, public awareness of it remains low. According to a 2013 study, participants in six focus groups in Georgia had almost zero knowledge of third-hand smoke. Although research on third-hand smoke is still growing, it still pales in comparison to research on second-hand smoke. It is pointed out that 5%-60% of second-hand smoke-related injuries may actually be related to third-hand smoke exposure.
For parents taking care of children, protecting their children's health is the most important thing. When parents understand the dangers of thirdhand smoke, they are more likely to establish smoke-free home and vehicle policies and seek ways to reduce indoor smoking. However, heavy smokers are often not inclined to believe that third-hand smoke is harmful to children, which has also become a challenge in promoting anti-smoking policies.
As people's awareness of third-hand smoke continues to increase, will a strong public health campaign be formed in the future to completely eliminate this invisible health threat?
