Third Hand Smoke

Recently you might have heard the term Third Hand Smoke. A description of thirdand smoke is, "toxic dust from smoking which settles on surfaces and dangerous volatile compounds disperse in the air, posing a risk to children and others". It is the residue from tobacco smoke and it is especially dangerous to children. Everytime someone smokes, even if they don't smoke around children but are around children and babies afterwards, expose children by the thirdhand smoke on their body. This exposure comes from particles and vapors in a smoking persons' hair, on their clothes and skin. If someone smokes in a car, building or home, even if no one else is present, they are exposing others to thirdhand smoke from all the surfaces that are touched by secondhand smoke and that people might at a later time come into contact with. Exposure to thirdhand smoke is especially hard on crawling babies, children that play on the floor and babies that are held alot.

This exposure is measured by measuring the amount of cotinine found in childrens bloodstream. Cotinine is a "metabolite" or breakdown product of nicotine and is found in the blood of those that are exposed to second or thirdhand smoke. Cotinine forms in the body when a person is exposed to nicotine. It has been found that inside the homes, the tobacco-toxicity levels were up to eight times higher than homes where parents smoked outside. But even in homes where parents smoked outside, the levels of tobacco contaminants were still seven times higher than in houses with non-smoking parents. This exposure could put children at risk for numerous smoking related illnesses, including asthma and sudden infant death syndrome. Check out the January 2009 issue of Pediatrics, and the February 2004 issue of the journal Tobacco Control to learn more.