Exposure to "invisible" tobacco smoke that is deposited on carpets, clothing, furniture, and other surfaces is called "third-hand smoking." Now, an Israeli study published in the latest issue of the journal Environmental Science & Technology reveals that it could be more dangerous to health than previously thought.
According to the authors, the nicotine that is trapped in fabrics, carpets and furniture reacts with the ozone in closed spaces and produces other pollutants, some possibly more toxic than tobacco itself. Exposure to these can occur while taking a nap on the sofa in the room where someone has been smoking. And it is especially dangerous for children, who crawl on carpets impregnated with tobacco smoke, touch and even suck the surfaces on which harmful particles are deposited.
