Collaborative Consortium on Thirdhand Smoke: Research Projects and Core Resources

This series features the Consortium’s newly funded projects, which engage in groundbreaking research about the nature and health consequences of thirdhand smoke. Thirdhand smoke is the chemical residue that is left behind on clothes, skin, furniture, walls, and other surfaces after someone smokes. In this installment we feature the work of Dr. Suzaynn Schick from the University of California, San Francisco and Dr. Nathan Dodder from San Diego State University.

New Consortium Research Projects

Melanin and Dermal Uptake of Thirdhand Smoke in Human Exposures
Suzaynn Schick, PhD
University of California San Francisco

This project will look at how the color of someone’s skin affects how their body absorbs chemicals from tobacco smoke. Melanin is the pigment that gives color to our skin, hair, and eyes. It also helps drugs, like nicotine, stick to our skin. Although African-Americans tend to start smoking later and smoke fewer cigarettes than White people, they are more likely to die from smoking-related diseases. The research project examines if exposure to tobacco smoked chemicals through one’s skin is influenced by skin color. This study will involve 60 people, with 30 having light-colored skin and 30 having dark-colored skin. Everyone will wear clothes that have been exposed to cigarette smoke for three hours. After, their blood and urine will be tested to see how their body absorbs nicotine and other chemicals. If people with more melanin in their skin absorb less nicotine, it may mean that melanin helps protect against smoking-related diseases and that the increased disease risks are from other factors.

When asked how her study would contribute to the Tobacco Endgame, Dr. Schick said that whether we find that melanin is protective or harmful, our findings can be used to craft persuasive public health messages that counter the targeting of darker-skinned people by the tobacco industry and to improve scholarly understanding of the risks of environmental exposure to tobacco smoke.

Read full abstract here.

New Consortium Research Projects

Thirdhand Smoke in Homes: Fate, Characterization, and Remediation
Nathan Dodder, PhD
San Diego State University

When people smoke indoors, tobacco smoke chemicals stick to surfaces and can become embedded in furniture, building materials, carpets, mattresses, clothes, and other personal belongings. Little is known about which material collect the most residue, how long it can stay there, and how quickly it can off-gas. The project will study the sorption (sticking) and desorption (releasing) of thirdhand smoke chemicals in common household materials like carpet, drywall, and cushioned furniture. The researchers will collect samples from people’s homes and test different methods to get remove thirdhand smoke. The results will help people know how to best clean thirdhand smoke in their homes and understand the risks of exposure.

When asked how his study would contribute to the Tobacco Endgame, Dr. Dodder said that outcomes from this research will contribute to Tobacco Endgame policies by informing occupants of indoor spaces about the effectiveness of remediation strategies for thirdhand smoke polluted environments and what they can expect in terms of the longevity of thirdhand smoke contamination.

Read full abstract here.

More Must Read Stories

A row of apartments on a sunny day. The image has the title “The California Fair Employment and Housing Act Can Help Tenants Avoid Second- and Thirdhand Smoke.”

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act Can Help Tenants in Multiunit Housing Avoid Second- and Thirdhand Smoke

Do you live in California and have medical conditions made worse by from tobacco smoke intrusion? If you live in multiunit housing, you may be able to get help from California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.

A wooden decoration that says “home” and a set of house keys lie on a table. A question about the smoking history on the Seller Property Questionnaire is in the bottom right corner.

What can I do to Avoid Thirdhand Smoke when Buying a House in California?

A team at the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center examined home disclosure documents commonly used in San Diego to see how well they inform buyers about the smoking history of their potential home.

Children’s Hands Can Tell us if They were Exposed to Thirdhand Smoke

A recent study from San Diego State University suggests that nicotine on the hands of children is one of the most effective ways to measure children’s thirdhand smoke exposure over time and in different environments. In collaboration with colleagues at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the researchers

Silhouette rows of people stand with the words "56 million Americans" in front

56 Million Americans Don’t Know They’re Exposed to Tobacco Smoke – Thirdhand Smoke Could be to Blame

Over half of Americans who don’t smoke are exposed to tobacco, but only one-third are aware of it, according to a recent University of Florida study.

An electronic cigarette and conventional cigarette fight a pair of lungs.

Is the chemical residue from electronically heated tobacco products different from the chemical residue from traditional cigarettes?

A recent study compared the effects of chemical residue from using electronically heated tobacco products to chemical residue from smoking on lung cells. It turns out that both kinds of chemical residue can damage lungs.