Better watch out for that third-hand smoke...

So everybody knows that smoking is bad for you. [If you didn't know that, consider this a friendly cry for help on your behalf]. That being said, Most people know that even second-hand smoke can cause death. What most people don't know is that there is a such thing as 'third-hand smoke' according to an article in The Daily Observer.

Third-hand smoke occurs when carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines undergo desorption from indoor surfaces. Once these nicotine byproducts interact with molecules in the atmosphere to produce severe cancer-causing agents. While the government can ban smoking in public places, it has no control over what is done within the home. Is there any possible way to minimize or eliminate the effects of second-hand smoke within the home?

Title: Smoking Kills [Editorial]

Publication: The Daily Observer

Date: September 30, 2010