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Second- and third-hand smoke: The impact on family and friends, including pets

By Nancy Kupka, PhD, RN
Managing Depression

We have all heard how dangerous second-hand smoke is, but how exactly does a person's nicotine addiction impact those close to them?

Second-hand smoke
It's important to understand the basics of second-hand smoke. There are two kinds of smoke: mainstream smoke and sidestream smoke. Mainstream smoke is the smoke exhaled, or breathed out, by the person who smokes, while sidestream smoke comes from the end of the cigarette, cigar or pipe or tobacco burning in a hookah. Sidestream smoke has higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents and is more toxic than mainstream smoke. This is because the particles of side stream smoke, which are made up of over 7,000 chemicals, including some cancer-causing chemicals, are smaller and more easily absorbed by the lungs of a person who is nearby.

Third-hand smoke
Third-hand smoke is the residue or harmful compounds left behind by the person who smokes that gets on skin and clothes, as well as furniture, carpets and other things. There is no safe level of exposure for second- or third-hand smoke.

Health effects of second- and third-hand smoke

Adults
Just like smoking a cigarette, second-hand and third-hand smoke can lead to lung cancer and other types of cancer in adults, including:

  • Bladder cancer
  • Brain cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Bladder cancer
  • Rectal cancer
  • Sinus cancer
  • Stomach cancer
  • Throat cancer

In addition, both increase the risk of high blood pressure, which can ultimately lead to stroke or heart attack in people who don't smoke.

Children
In children, second- and third-hand smoke are linked to multiple cancers as well, including:

  • Brain tumors
  • Leukemia
  • Liver cancer
  • Lymphomas

Children who live with people who smoke also get sick more often, and are more likely to have lung and ear infections, asthma, coughing and wheezing. In unborn babies, second-hand smoke can lead to very low birth weight. In babies and children, second-hand smoke also increases the risk for more serious problems, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Pets
Even pets—including dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs and fish—can be impacted by exposure to smoke. Beyond toxic exposure, a friendly lick to a person who smokes can cause them to ingest nicotine—and when they lick themselves as part of grooming, they can ingest nicotine trapped in their coats. Plus, nicotine dissolves into drinking water and the water used for fish tanks and bowls. As a final and serious point, ingesting tobacco or licking the fluids in a vaping machine can induce death quickly in animals.

Reducing exposure to second- and third-hand smoke

Being exposed to tobacco smoke is not only a problem at home. Everyone can be exposed to second-hand smoke in public places where smoking is allowed, such as shopping centers and parks. Likewise, if you live in a multifamily home, apartment or dorm room, second hand smoke can seep into your residence if a neighbor smokes.

What can you do to help reduce exposure to second-hand smoke? Keep your home and car smoke free. If you live in a location where people can smoke in restaurants, avoid establishments that allow smoking and other public places where people are allowed to do so. And insist that people don't smoke near you, even in parking lots and other open spaces. Most importantly, stay smoke-free yourself.

If you or someone you care about wants to quit smoking, health care providers at the In-Store Clinics and MDLive are on hand to support you in your plans to be tobacco-free from cigarettes or other forms of tobacco. There are additional educational materials available in the Walgreens Answer Centers on walgreens.com to support you as well.

Published on October 21, 2019

Sources:

1. American Cancer Society, Secondhand Smoke. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/secondhand-smoke.html

2. The Office of the Surgeon General. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke A Report of the Surgeon General. https://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/secondhand-smoke-consumer.pdf

3. United States Department of Health and Human Services. Food and Drug Administration. Secondhand (and Third-Hand) Smoke May Be Making Your Pet Sick https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm530220.htm

4. United States Department of Health and Human Services. Food and Drug Administration. Be Smoke-free and Help Your Pets Live Longer, Healthier Lives. https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/AnimalHealthLiteracy/ucm520415.htm#pets

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