Third‑hand smoke exposure and results

Abstract

Diseases and deaths due to smoking are still a major public health problem, which is still the leadingcause of death in the world. Today, the harmful effects of active smoking and second hand cigarettesmoke on health are clearly known. However, the concept of third-hand smoke (THS) exposure,a new concept, is a relatively new definition in the area of environmental and public health. Thethird-hand smoke (THS) consists of residual cigarette smoke gases and particles that settle on thesurface. Studies evaluating the presence of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in house dustsamples have shown that THS is an important source of exposure to TSNA. Investigations on animalsestimating human exposure, it has been found that THS contains tobacco smoke compounds,which can stay for months on internal surfaces and in dust for months, and that it is re-releasedinto the air as gaseous. In addition, surface chemicals in the surroundings and in dust can produceadditional toxins as a result of various chemical reactions. Although it is premature to estimate thehealth impacts of THS as a whole, the health effects of TSNAs have been previously reported in theliterature. Future studies should be directed at investigating the biological effects and consequencesof THS on humans. This article will address the implications of THS exposure and the results ofcurrent studies conducted in this area.