DEBOLINA ROY
Thirdhand smoke is a physical layer of toxic chemicals, like nicotine and lead, that stick to the walls, carpets, and furniture of an environment. This has the ability to linger for months and even up to a year or more after the last puff of the cigarette has been taken.
The greatest risk is to young children, due to their development behaviors and because of proximity to the ground. They can also crawl on contaminated carpets and experience frequent hand-to-mouth activities, which result in the direct ingestion of toxic particles that may be trapped in fabric fibres.
One of the worse parts of this residue is how it manifests over a period of time. The interaction between the nicotine residue left on surfaces and common indoor air pollutants like nitrous acid results in the production of tobacco-specific nitrosamines, a highly dangerous cancer-causing agent.
Because our pets interact with it differently, they are uniquely susceptible to these toxins. Cats and dogs do a great deal of their time on the floor and lick themselves clean, in a way licking the toxic buildup off their fur.