FIRST we learned of the risks of smoking. Then it was the dangers of inhaling the smoke from someone else鈥檚 cigarette. Fair enough 鈥� there鈥檚 strong evidence that passive smoking increases the risk of heart attack, lung cancer and cot death. Now some smoking researchers are warning that third-hand smoke 鈥� the particles that linger on skin and clothes long after the cigarette has been extinguished 鈥� could also be a danger (see 鈥淔uming鈥�). Is this a step too far?
The evidence that third-hand smoke has any physiological effects is tenuous, yet much of the media 鈥� and some health organisations 鈥� reported it as fact. It is the World Health Organization鈥檚 20th World No Tobacco Day next month, but if claims like these can鈥檛 be supported by sound science, the danger is that people will stop listening to the message.