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Children Exposed to Nicotine Despite Indoor Smoking Bans
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati find indoor smoking bans at home do not protect children from exposure to thirdhand smoke. These findings inform our understanding of indoor smoking bans in public places.
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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

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.

Carpets Retain a Stubborn Grip on Pollutants from Tobacco Smoke
A new study from thirdhand smoke researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory shows that thirdhand smoke chemicals that settle into surfaces do not stay there, but re-enter the air, sometimes transforming into new types of contaminants. In this study, the researchers evaluated the effects of ozonation, a common cleaning method, on smoke-exposed carpet.

Exposure to Second- and Thirdhand Smoke in Private Vehicles
This study assessed tobacco smoke chemicals in air and settled dust from private cars in Spain and the United Kingdom. Researchers examined cars from nonsmokers, smokers who do not smoke in their cars, and smokers who do smoke in their cars.

Does Thirdhand Smoke Make You Sick? The German Newspaper Die Zeit Investigates.
As Germany plans to ban smoking in cars with children or pregnant women, the German newspaper, Die Zeit, asked experts to weigh in on the forthcoming policy. The experts concluded that this policy does not go far enough and advised caution, especially for children, due to long-term risks posed by thirdhand smoke exposure (known as cold smoke exposure in Germany). Read the full story to answer the question, “Does Cold Smoke Make You Sick?”

Pet Chat Podcast Features Thirdhand Smoke Discussion
This episode of the Pet Chat podcast discusses thirdhand smoke and its harmful effects on your pets. For even more information about protecting your pets from thirdhand smoke, see our FAQ page.

In Memorium of Tobacco Policy Advocate Esther Schiller
This past spring, fearless tobacco control advocate Esther Schiller passed away. Esther served on the Thirdhand Smoke Policy Advisory for over three years, helping to guide and shape the work we do here at the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center.

American Academy of Pediatrics Makes Recommendations to Protect Children and Adolescents from Tobacco and Nicotine
In 2020, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement “Thirdhand Smoke: A Threat to Child Health”. This statement is the final post in our new Spotlight Series: American Academy of Pediatrics Speaks Out on Tobacco and Children. The statement makes four recommendations to protect children from thirdhand smoke.

Thirdhand Smoke Exposure is Linked to Increased Tumor Development
Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory investigated the impact of thirdhand tobacco smoke (THS) exposure on the development of tumors in mice. To reflect the genetic diversity of humans, they used Collaborative Cross (CC) mice. The researchers exposed the CC mice to thirdhand smoke and observed them for tumor development.

Why focus on exposure to thirdhand tobacco smoke and not exposure to auto exhaust or industrial pollution?
There are many pollutants that can contaminate our environments. Presently, vehicle emissions and industrial air pollutants receive much-needed attention from policy makers and the public. But there remains a lot of important work to be done to protect environments from other forms of pollution, such as pollutants from tobacco smoke. A focus on tobacco smoke exposure draws attention to a source of pollution that is the result of preventable activities that can be easily changed or eliminated.





Study Measures the Effects of JUUL Vaping on Users and their Surrounding Environment
This study investigated the chemicals in JUUL pods, looking at the impact of electronic cigarette use on the users and the surrounding environment.

Using Machine Learning to Differentiate Second- and Thirdhand Smoke Exposure
This study used machine learning techniques to classify children into three different groups of reported tobacco exposure: no tobacco smoke exposure, thirdhand smoke exposure, and second- and thirdhand smoke exposure.



Can thirdhand smoke hurt my pet?
The harmful effects of second- and thirdhand smoke exposure on people are widely known, but the same effects can apply to cats, dogs, and even birds and fish! Most pet owners protect their pets from tobacco smoke because they know that as they breathe in secondhand smoke in the air, they inhale hundreds of carcinogenic toxic chemicals.
