Third hand smoke is the residue left behind on furniture, upholstery and walls by first hand smokers (cigarette smokers) which research shows can become airborne. When you take a whiff of your environment and smell the faint pungent scent of a cigarette, or ever walk into the bathroom with the same smell, well that is exactly what is known as ‘third hand cigarette smoke’.
This cigarette smell and residue consists of small particulates which include a toxic mix of nicotine and ozone, which are extremely tiny and all the more harmful as they can easily travel and penetrate through the deepest parts of the lungs, causing Asthma, Breathing problems and even cancer, over time. In fact, third hand smoke is now reported as being an additional risk factor for lung and skin exposure.
What makes third hand smoke even more dangerous is the fact that the ozone can continue to succeed at bringing back nicotine residue even after months, therefore third hand smoke may continue and linger, long after the smoking stopped.
Third hand smoke clings to carpets, curtains, walls, clothes, hair skin, bedding, drapes, dust and even vehicles. Third hand smoke cannot easily be eliminated as it also builds up over time and resists normal household cleaning. However, third hand smoke can be relieved by airing out the particular room.
Third hand smoking can contribute too many health hazards which even include asthma. Here we will discuss the impending risks and dangers of being exposed to third hand smoke.
Children, infants and babies are more likely to be effected by third hand smoke than anyone else as they spend most of their primary years on the floor crawling and putting things in their mouths after lifting it from a carpet or rug. Also third hand smoke even settles on clothes, therefore if you have been smoking or have experienced second hand smoke by being within a close proximity of a smoker, children are most likely to ingest these dangerous particles. Research shows that infants and babies exposed to third hand smoking are more likely to be at risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SID) as the chemicals in third hand smoke are penetrated deep into their lungs, interfering with their breathing which contributes to SID.
First hand and second hand smoke were causes to cardiovascular problems, however studies show that now, third hand smoke also poses a risk for being problematic in terms of cardiovascular health. Third hand smoke is largely and particularly directed at children in terms of health hazards. This is because babies on mothers feed can easily ingest third hand smoke if the mother has been exposed to it, whereas babies in the womb can be exposed to third hand smoke through the means of placental blood flow. Due to this, children may suffer from problems in the blood vessels and heart via Arrhythmias and high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and even heart beat abnormalities.
Children exposed to third hand smoke also fall risk to developing respiratory problems as children are at the stage of developing lung function and structure therefore being exposed to third hand smoke can stunt and hinder the growth of these organs. Also third hand smoke can penetrate deep into the lungs which can increase the frequency of infection in the respiratory system and even begin the growth of cancer from such a young age!
