A new term “third-hand smoke” has been coined by researchers from MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston, in a study published in the January 2009 issue of Pediatrics Journal. The journal article entitled, ‘Beliefs About the Health Effects of “Thirdhand” Smoke and Home Smoking Bans’ defines thirdhand smoke as residual tobacco smoke contamination that remains after the cigarette is extinguished.
The researchers emphasize that there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke and warn that children are uniquely susceptible to third-hand smoke exposure.
According to the study conclusion:
“This study demonstrated that beliefs about the health effects of thirdhand smoke are independently associated with home smoking bans. Emphasizing that thirdhand smoke harms the health of children may be an important element in encouraging home smoking bans. Health messages about thirdhand smoke contamination could be easily incorporated into current tobacco control campaigns, programs, and routine clinical practice.”
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