The Berrien County Health Department is telling the community about the dangers of thirdhand smoke. Public Health Promotion Supervisor Lisa Peeples Hurst tells WSJM News we’ve heard of secondhand smoke, but research from 2018 identified thirdhand smoke.
“When smoke particles or items that are smoked settle on surfaces, people can be exposed from those surfaces,” Peeples Hurst said.
Peeples Hurst says the research found someone can have health effects just from the residue of smoke on surfaces.
“They started testing that when people presented with illnesses that would be related to exposure to smoke without actually having the lung or respiratory signs show up.”
Peeples Hurst says in children, thirdhand smoke exposure can increase the risk of respiratory and infectious illnesses including asthma, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia. The health department is going to release information throughout March raising awareness. It says the best thing to do is to have a smoke free home and vehicle.
