Third-hand smoke from cigarettes can linger at dangerous levels in homes for a long time and harm health, a new study finds.
- Primary smoke is that which the smoker inhales directly. Second-hand smoke is released between each puff when the cigarette continues to burn: it is responsible for passive smoking. Tertiary smoke is the microparticles suspended in the air and then deposited in the dust on the different surfaces of a place once the cigarette has been consumed.
- In 2020, 31.8% of adults report smoking. Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death in France, with approximately 66,000 deaths each year.
Researchers from the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have published a new study on third-hand smoke (THS, for “Thirdhand smoke”).
This smoke is the one that, once the cigarette is extinguished, remains trapped in the hair, on the skin, fabrics, carpets, furniture or the walls of a house. The study reveals that it can remain in homes and on certain surfaces for years and be harmful to people’s health.
Even when the smell is gone, the substances remain
Even in homes without a noticeable tobacco odor, contaminants can remain. When nicotine in cigarette smoke interacts with nitrous acid, a common molecule in indoor (and outdoor) air, it does indeed leave a residue of three compounds, called “tobacco-specific nitrosamines”, two of which (known under the acronyms NNK and NNN) are known carcinogens. However, these can be ingested by inhaling the air and dust or by contact with the skin, endangering the health of residents.
Replace furniture and decorations by prevention
To eliminate or minimize third-hand smoke from a location, the most effective way would be to replace places where reservoirs of smoke may persist. For example, changing furniture and decorations that were in a regular smoker’s room, such as sofas and curtains, carpets, drywall, or other materials where third-hand smoke can easily lodge.
