What is third hand smoke?
Third hand smoke been recognized as being a serious health risk only recently. It refers to the smoke smell and particles that linger on in the air as well as on skin, clothes and the area where you smoke like your car, carpet or room. These stay for much longer than the smoke itself. They contain some of the toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that are contained in secondhand smoke. They can cause as number of health complications like respiratory problems, irritation of eyes, nose and skin, etc..
Third hand smoke and asthma — Are they related?
Third hand smoke was not considered to be harmful till very recently. But now it is becoming more and more clear that it is almost as harmful as secondhand smoke. Those exposed to it can be faced with a lot of health problems. Children are the biggest victims of this kind of exposure, especially when they are held by a smoker as they have no option but to bear the brunt of such exposure.
One of the biggest risks of being exposed to third hand smoke is respiratory irritation and ailments, mainly asthma. This is because these particles attack the respiratory system more easily than other organs and senses. When an individual comes close to a smoker or to a place where a person has smoked, he/she is exposed to these particles that are all around. They enter the nasal passages and then the respiratory tract through the air that is inhaled.
Third hand smoke contains chemicals, most of which are toxic, while some are radioactive and even carcinogenic.
Some common ailments linked to third hand smoke:
- Irritation of skin
- Itchiness and irritation of eyes and nose
- Asthma and other breathing problems
It is important to protect yourself and especially children from such exposure as it can lead to many health problems. If you smoke, you should quit as soon as possible to avoid harm to yourself and to those around you. If you do not wish to quit, it is necessary that you smoke outdoors where there are no people and no one gets affected either by second or third hand smoke.
