(Photo via Shutterstock)
Smoking is clearly harmful to our health as it has immediate effects on the heart and blood vessels which and can lead to fatal diseases and death. But the danger is not limited to those who actually smoke. Secondhand smokers, or passive smokers, are also susceptible to smoke-related health risks.According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a US health protection agency, during 20052009,ciggarette smoke caused about 34,000 deaths due to heart disease each year among nonsmokers in the country.
But it doesn't stop there. Now there's another category who is also prone to smoking-related health problems despite not actually sipping the ciggarettes.
Thirdhand smokers, or third party smokers, are those who are exposed to toxins from cigarettes left in the environment. Most of them are those who live with or have one or more family members who smoke.
According to Dr. Georg Matt of the University of San Diego, residual substances of cigarette smoke can stick to the surface of objects, especially at home. The house and its furnishings can be the primary source of cigarette smoke residues. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals that are mostly toxic and carcinogenic, and these can stick to various objects, especially in enclosed spaces with porous surfaces.
Even the clean-looking spaces in house can hide dangerous substances from thirdhand smoke. (Photo via Shutterstock)
One component that is known to be carcinogenic and could survive in the home environment is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). This component is absorbed into walls, furniture and objects made from gypsum and carpets in the house. The substance can cling for a long time with increasing level of substance.
A 2010 study revealed that nicotine uptakes from the cigarette smoke can occur rapidly and it can be absorbed quicklyby indoor surfaces, including skin and clothing. Nicotine substances then can react with the nitric acid in the air to form nitrosamine carcinogens that can be absorbed by the human body through breathing, digestion and skin contact.
Residual substances of cigarette smoke can be detected by the smell of cigarettes on the objects surfaces. The smell also shows the toxicity of the cigarette on the surfaces. Thirdhand smoke residue builds up on surfaces over time, and normal cleaning couldn't really get rid of the residue.
What are the risks of exposure to thirdhand smoke?
Exposure to residual substances of cigarette smoke attached to various objects at home can cause various health problems for thirdhand smokers. Here are some of them:
1. Cancer
A 2013 research showed that exposure to carcinogenic substances from the thirdhand smoke left in the environment can cause damage in cells to DNA levels, which can lead to cancer. The breakdown of DNA chains in cells can stimulate healthy cells to mutate into cancer cells.
2. Internal organ damage
A study by Martins-Green in 2014 showed that the impact of exposure to thirdhand smoke includes damage to the liver due to increased levels of fat in the blood, pulmonary inflammation resulting in chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) and asthma and the inhibition of wound healing on the skin surface.
3. Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a condition when insulin resistance that inhibits the use of glucose in the body occurs. Among others, this is influenced by oxidative stress. Exposure to substances from residual cigarette smoke can cause an increase of oxidative stress that triggers and aggravates insulin resistance and causes type 2 diabetes.
(Photo via Shutterstock)
Who are at risk?
Anyone who is in an environment exposed to thirdhand smoke can experience the effects of the exposure, especially children and the elderly. Children of smokers could be at the highest risk, especially babies who have a habit of putting a hand into the mouth after touching objects. Elderly have a higher risk due to susceptibility to disease continues to increase as they age.
So, how do we tackle the thirdhand smoke effects?
To remove residual substances of cigarette smoke attached to objects and walls of the room, cleaning is required in every corner of the house, including textiles and furniture. Consider repainting the walls of the house to minimize the toxic content attached to the wall. But prevention efforts will be easier and simpler by not smoking, or stop smoking inside the house.
The article was previously published in Hellosehat.com and all medical data have been reviewed by a licensed medical doctor.
(brl/red)
