You must be aware of the harms of smoking and second-hand smoking, but do you know about third-hand smoking? It harms our body in many ways, especially children and the elderly.
Smoking harms our body in many ways in every sense. First-hand smoking means the person smoking and second hand means the person inhaling cigarette smoke. Both of them inhale nicotine and other toxic chemicals, which can cause heart problems, stroke and lung cancer.
But do you know that third-hand smoking is as harmful as these two. Third-hand smoke can persist in the environment for many months even after you stop smoking.
In such a situation, it is important for you to know about third-hand smoking, so that you can understand whether you too are unknowingly becoming a victim of third-hand smoking?
What is Third Hand Smoking?
Before knowing the harm of third-hand smoking, it is important to know about it. When someone smokes, cigarette smoke enters his body. This is called first-hand smoking. If any person is also present at that place, then cigarette smoke also enters inside him, which is called second hand smoking.
But cigarette smoke and other harmful chemicals stick to nearby places and things. Not only this, harmful substances can also come in contact with other people through the hands and clothes of a smoker and can harm them even though they do not smoke. This is called third-hand smoking.
It can affect you through many means. For example, you can come in contact with it by touching affected things and clothes and breathing at such places. Third-hand smoke can be extremely dangerous when combined with indoor air pollution.
Third-hand smoke combined with indoor air pollution can be extremely dangerous, especially for pregnant women and infants.
Ash Contains Harmful Elements
The chemicals present in third-hand smoking smoke include nicotine. Along with this, cancer causing substances, such as arsenic, tar, formaldehyde, naphthalene and other chemicals are included, which cause harm in many ways.
Who is at Greater Risk?
Third-hand smoking can cause problems for children, women and the elderly. Young children are most at risk due to their underdeveloped immune systems.
Due to this, there is a possibility of cough, difficulty in breathing, more lung infections (like bronchitis and pneumonia), asthma and ear infections in children.
If a newborn baby comes in contact with it, he may have respiratory problems and may fall ill again and again. In women and the elderly, third-hand smoking can increase the risk of kidney, mouth and throat diseases and cancer.
Besides, it can also prove dangerous for pregnant women and the babies growing in their wombs.
Animals also Become a Source
Third-hand smoking is dangerous not only for you but also for your pet. After smoking, dangerous substances spread on the surface and air.
When your pet goes into that environment, its elements stick to its feet and hair, making it a medium for third-hand smoke. Wherever he goes, these elements will also spread there. If he goes or plays near your children, the child can also become a victim of third-hand smoking.
Therefore, along with cleaning the house, bathe your animals also.
Know the Defense Also
You can also become a victim of third-hand smoking through clothes or other household items. Therefore, if your home or you yourself have come in contact with it, wash all your clothes, carpets, door mats, sheets and curtains.
Clean floors, walls, furniture and other areas of the house thoroughly. If you have children in your house, then clean their toys also thoroughly, because the residue of smoke can accumulate on these toys too and can prove to be harmful for your child.
To avoid third-hand smoking and to prevent its residue from spreading to others, a smoker should wash his hair, take a bath and change his clothes as soon as he returns home. Also clean all its belongings thoroughly.
This is especially important before contact with children and the elderly. If anyone in the house is addicted to cigarette smoking, then do not allow him to smoke in the house and make sure that he does not sweep the ashes here and there, rather he should only use the ash-tray and then throw the ashes in the dustbin.
Prevent people nearby from smoking inside closed rooms or vehicles. Keep a proper distance from the person who smokes cigarettes and whenever you go out or in a crowded area, wear a mask on your mouth.
It is Important to be Careful
Third-hand smoking refers to smoke residues that remain on surfaces and in dust after a cigarette is extinguished. These residues can persist for days, weeks, or months after smoking.
Third-hand smoking contains a combined mixture, some chemicals and some cancer-causing toxins. The health effects of third-hand smoking have not been studied yet, but some studies have pointed to its dangers.
Till now, the harm caused by third-hand smoking in humans has been discussed, but no direct relationship has been established between third-hand smoking and cancer.
However, some studies have raised concerns regarding its cancer-causing elements. In 2010, a study published in the American journal ‘Mutagenesis’ revealed that exposure to third-hand smoking causes damage to DNA in human cells.
Other research has shown that some of the chemicals found in third-hand smoke combine with airborne pollutants to form potentially carcinogenic substances.
The evidence linking third-hand smoking with cancer-related risks is not as strong as that for first-hand and second-hand smoke, but it is still important to be cautious in order to maximize protection against third-hand smoke especially for newborns, children, pregnant women and elderly persons.
