Study: Thirdhand Smoke Endangers Health
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Washington, London - Asharq Al-Awsat
A new US study published in the Science Advances journal on Wednesday, found that the stale unpleasant odor that highlights a smoker's entry into a room may affect people's health. A new study by scientists at Yale University has found that compounds from tobacco smoke can infiltrate well-ventilated rooms by hitching a ride on people's' clothes, skin, and hair and then evaporating slowly over time in a process called "off-gassing". By placing a high-tech air sampling device in the exhaust duct of a non-smoking movie theater in Germany, the researchers determined that so-called "thirdhand" smoke exposed movie-goers to between one and 10 cigarettes of passive smoke, depending on the substance in question. Secondhand smoke has been studied for decades and heightens people's risks for heart conditions and lung cancer. Over the course of four days, the researchers found the levels of 35 tobacco-related chemicals surged when audience members entered the theater. These included cancer-causing compounds like benzene and formaldehyde. The effects were particularly pronounced during R-rated films, like "Resident Evil," which the authors suggested was because such movies attract older audiences more likely to have been exposed to smoke. Lead Author Drew Gentner said: "Our work establishes that there's substantial transport of thirdhand smoke contaminants from people into a real world non-smoking indoor environment." He conceded that the precise level of health risks to others was beyond the scope of the current study and would depend on a variety of factors, including how often people were exposed to the chemicals and their proximity to the source of emissions.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2167291/study-thirdhand-smoke-endangers-health
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