If you’ve driven anywhere in Ohio or watched TV recently, there’s a good chance you’ve seen an anti-smoking campaign. Commercials, posters and even warnings on cartons of cigarettes themselves ward people away by sharing the ill effects of smoking.
While most people are familiar with the health issues caused by smoking and secondhand smoke, the lesser-known thirdhand smoke poses its own potential issues.
What is thirdhand smoke?
When somebody takes a puff of a vape inside, we may think that it’s less offensive than if someone were to light up a cigarette. This may not be the case.
Thirdhand smoke refers to any chemical residue left over on furniture, in dust or on household surfaces from smoking indoors, as well as allowing materials with toxic residue on them to enter the home. Clothing, carpets and porous materials such as cardboard and wood can absorb and carry the smells and toxins of tobacco smoke.
Toxic chemicals in the home as a result of smoking can be very harmful to both children and pets. Young children in particular will put their mouths on just about any object in the house, while pets may lick toxic surfaces or trap the harmful chemicals in their fur.
Vaping: Is it worse?
Though vaping can help smokers on their journey to quit, it has become a recreational activity in its own right. Fun flavors and eccentric packaging notwithstanding, vaping comes with its own harmful effects. While there is still some uncertainty about long-term effects of vaping, it’s no secret these cotton-candy-flavored chemicals aren’t the best for your body.
“A variety of other toxic compounds besides nicotine have been found in aerosolized e-liquid,” says Dr. Marisa Bittoni, a lung cancer researcher with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Compounds with both carcinogenic and toxic potential therefore contaminate the ultrafine nicotine-laced particles that are routinely inhaled deep into the lungs by those who chose to vape.”
Given that vaping is more convenient than lighting up a cigarette, it’s no wonder people don’t shy away from sneaking a hit in the home from time to time. However, with the abundance of carcinogenic and toxic substances found in these electronic devices, it’s possible that they, too, can cling onto unsuspecting items in your house.
Fighting thirdhand smoke
The Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center acts as a guide for those unfamiliar with thirdhand smoke and its effects on non-smokers. As thirdhand smoke is actively being researched and studied, new discoveries are being made about the severity of its effects. What’s certain is that neither smoking nor surrounding yourself with smoke is good for your health.
If you worry that any part of your household has been affected by thirdhand smoke, routine cleanings can prevent the spread of toxins. Be mindful of countertops, carpets, blankets and couch cushions, as they are some of the items most likely to carry thirdhand smoke.
Mary Nader is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mnader@cityscenemediagroup.com.
