Second-hand and third-hand smoke and vapour are dangerous, especially for babies and children. Passive smoking increases children's risk of early death, lung diseases and other health problems. Vapes contain some of the same harmful chemicals as cigarettes.
Thirdhand smoke contains more than 250 chemicals and is harmful to pregnant women, babies and children. Babies and children can be exposed to these chemicals when they breathe in thirdhand smoke or when they touch or put things in their mouth that have been exposed to thirdhand smoke.
You may be able to reduce thirdhand smoke in your home by (1) opening windows to air out rooms each week, (2) regularly wiping surfaces with a diluted white vinegar solution, (3) frequent dusting, and (4) weekly vacuuming with a HEPA filter. Regularly washing your child's blankets, bedding, and toys.
Health risks of thirdhand smoke
While medical experts continue to learn more everyday about its long-term effects, research has shown that thirdhand smoke causes damage to people's DNA, increasing their risk of developing certain cancers, such as lung cancer, and other chronic diseases like asthma.
In children, thirdhand smoke exposure can increase risk of respiratory and infectious illnesses, including asthma, bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Compounds within thirdhand smoke also are known to be genotoxic, which means they can damage the DNA within the cells of exposed tissue.
Thirdhand smoke poses a potential health hazard to nonsmokers — especially children. Substances in thirdhand smoke are known to be hazardous to health.
Thirdhand smoke residue clings to clothes, hair and skin, floors, walls, bedding, curtains, toys, and other surfaces. Infants, young children and pets are at greatest risk since they are on the ground more, have different metabolisms than adults, and put more things in or around their mouths.
Babies have tiny lungs and breathe rapidly, so more tobacco toxins get into their bodies. If you have thirdhand smoke on your clothes, your baby can breathe in these toxins. Low levels of toxins can build up to dangerous levels in the baby's body.
Our data show that nicotine, nicotine-related alkaloids and TSNAs could be readily removed from cotton fabrics by washing, which could become a simple remediation procedure. This study focused on THS that had aged in fabrics that are often used in homes and clothing.
This is why we advise that smokers should wait for 30 minutes after smoking before picking up a baby, making sure they wash their hands first.
Researchers at San Diego State University's Department of Psychology have found that homes of former smokers remained polluted with thirdhand smoke for up to 6 months after the residents quit smoking.
Thirdhand smoke refers to smoke and toxic chemicals left on clothes and other surfaces in the area of a smoker. When you or someone else smokes outside and then holds the baby, smoke and toxic chemicals can be transferred to the baby. Wear clean clothes when you hold the baby. Never let anyone smoke around the baby.
Children and infants are at greater risk for exposure to toxins from thirdhand smoke because they touch, crawl, eat and play near contaminated surfaces.
Thoroughly wash walls and ceilings with detergent and very hot water to remove as much nicotine and tar residue as possible. Wear gloves and use multiple clean rags to prevent simply pushing the residue around. Wash, rinse, repeat!
Conclusions Maternal smoking is associated with reduced fetal measurements in the second and third trimesters but not in the first trimester. Mothers who do not quit smoking during the first trimester deliver smaller infants who go on to have adverse respiratory outcomes in childhood.
Are lingering smoking odors harmful? There's very little research so far on whether lingering tobacco smoke odors or residuals from it on surfaces can cause cancer in people. Research does show that particles from secondhand tobacco smoke can settle in dust and on surfaces and remain there long after the smoke is gone.
Efforts to diffuse the smoke, like opening windows or using a fan, don't prevent thirdhand smoke from forming or keep it from being inhaled, and the residue may give off harmful chemicals for years or even decades. “Thirdhand smoke is not a one-time thing,” Dr. Bechara says.
The best air purifiers for smokers, and those around them, are those that remove particles and odors for both secondhand and thirdhand smoke.
It is especially important that you do not share a bed with your baby if either parent is a smoker, even if you don't smoke in the bedroom. It has been shown that the chance of SIDS if bed sharing when you or your partner is a smoker is much greater than if you were both non-smokers.
Paternal smoking is linked to increased risk of congenital heart defects. Summary: Fathers-to-be who smoke may increase the risk of congenital heart defects in their offspring, according to a new study. For mothers-to-be, both smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke were detrimental.
Abstract. Smoking is a major risk factor for both Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and respiratory tract infections. Such infections, both viral and bacterial, also increase the SIDS risk.
The researchers used two common in vitro assays, the Comet assay and the long amplicon-qPCR assay, to test for genotoxicity and found that thirdhand smoke can cause both DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damage, which can lead to gene mutation.
Third-hand smoke is the smoke that stays in carpets, walls, furniture, clothing, hair, toys, etc. A person, car, or room can continue to smell of smoke long after a cigarette is put out.
Smoke dust may lead to initiation of inflammation-induced skin diseases like contact dermatitis and psoriasis, scientists say.