We've all heard about the health risks of secondhand smoke. But thirdhand smoke? Medical experts say there is such a thing, and it's particularly hazardous for children. Thirdhand smoke isn't smoke in the traditional sense. It's defined as the residual contamination from tobacco smoke that remains after a cigarette is extinguished - toxic dust that settles onto surfaces and harmful volatile compounds that disperse in the air. A recent study in the journal Pediatrics notes: "Children are especially susceptible to thirdhand smoke exposure because they breathe near, crawl and play on, touch and mouth contaminated surfaces." Researchers found that adults who believed thirdhand smoke harmed children's health were more likely to institute household smoking bans.

Source: Chicago Tribune, 05 January 2009

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