THE INVISIBLE DANGER THIRD HAND CIGARETTES INCREASE CANCER RISK TENFOLD

THE INVISIBLE DANGER THIRD HAND CIGARETTES INCREASE CANCER RISK TENFOLD

Prof. Dr. Burak Civelek stated that cigarette smoke clinging to furniture and clothing produces new toxic substances that damage DNA structure and can increase the risk of cancer tenfold.

Prof. Dr. Burak Civelek stated that a very different concept was introduced in an article published in China, saying, "Third-hand smoke exposure. So, you're in a place where people are smoking, you open the windows, open the doors to disperse the smoke; you think, 'Yes, it's cleared of cigarette smoke, I can go there now.' Actually, it's not like that. After smoking in a room, the cigarette smoke sticks to surfaces, carpets, furniture, and clothes, and this adhering cigarette smoke transforms into a more carcinogenic substance over time. This study, conducted in China, involved 12,000 young individuals aged 15 to 24. The study looked at the cancer risk of people who didn't smoke but were in environments where smoking had occurred. It showed that smoking increased the risk of lung cancer tenfold in people who didn't smoke, weren't in smoking environments, or weren't exposed to second-hand smoke. Even though cigarette smoke seems to disperse when you open the windows and ventilate the room, it actually sticks to the furniture and carpets. And this..." "It adheres to those objects in the form of an invisible, thin layer. In every place where smoking takes place, another layer is added on top of this first layer," he said.

'TOXIC SUBSTANCES REMAIN IN THE ENVIRONMENT FOR AT LEAST 3 MONTHS'

Prof. Dr. Civelek explained that even a year after smoking, carcinogenic substances called 'nitrosamines' are slowly released into the environment through this thin layer due to small dust particles, humidity, heat, and other environmental factors. He continued, "When you touch this, these nitrosamines, which are proven carcinogens, unfortunately enter your body through skin contact. It has been shown to cause lung cancer 10 times more than the nitrosamines we are exposed to in cigarette smoke. You buy a car. This car has actually been smoked in before. You put your child in it. When your child touches the seat, touches the doorknob, imagine that they are unfortunately ingesting carcinogenic substances from cigarettes smoked months or years ago. Or you buy a house, a piece of furniture. There is cigarette exposure here. Cigarettes were smoked in years or months ago. That thin layer of cigarette smoke has settled there. When you touch it, these carcinogenic substances come into contact with your body due to the ambient temperature and the moisture on your hand. And you never smoke..." Even if you haven't smoked yourself, even if you haven't been in a smoking environment, the toxic substances and chemicals in cigarettes increase your risk of cancer. The study showed that it remains there for at least 3 months and that this doesn't disappear with mechanical cleaning or ventilation. A cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals. And 70 of these more than 4,000 chemicals are directly carcinogenic. There is actually a slow, continuous chemical leakage," he stated.

'THE VALUE OF A HOUSE WHERE SMOKING HAS TAKEN PLACE WILL DECREASE'

Prof. Dr. stated that cigarette exposure is not only a risk associated with lung cancer. Civelek stated, "When you smoke, the risk of cancer increases in many organs, from the bladder to the pancreas, colon, and breasts. The risk of head and neck cancers, oral cancers, tongue cancer, lip cancer, gum cancer, esophageal and pharyngeal cancers also unfortunately increases in smokers. If you buy a house that has been smoked in, insurance companies might reduce its value. If you buy a car that has been smoked in, insurance companies might introduce these measures later on to further reduce the cost or value of a smoked car, as this directly affects your health. Especially babies and children, because they are in their growth phase, their cells multiply faster, and they have a longer life ahead of them, the less they are exposed to chemical substances, the lower their risk of cancer will be. Passive exposure to cigarette smoke harms us all. The layer of cigarette smoke that clings to surfaces harms us all. The harmful effects of smoking are not only seen in smokers, but also in those exposed to cigarette smoke or those who spend long periods in environments where smoking takes place. Therefore, my suggestion is that smoking bans should be implemented not only in public areas but also in our homes." "We need to comply with this. If you smoke in your home, every item in your house comes back to you as a chemical leak, as an increased risk of cancer," he said.

THE INVISIBLE DANGER THIRD HAND CIGARETTES INCREASE CANCER RISK TENFOLD