Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you. It can lead to lung cancer, mouth or throat cancer, strokes, and even Alzheimer’s Disease. Knowing these things doesn’t always help, however, as evidenced by all the people who fail to quit smoking. Part of this might be a feeling of invincibility, especially in young people. This sort of immature thinking goes, “Sure, I can die of lung cancer, but then again I might also get hit by a bus, so why not enjoy myself? Anyway, I’m young; I can still quit someday.” If the risks to your own health aren’t enough of an incentive, here are two more motivators – the harmful substances from cigarettes can linger in your car or home for a long time, putting people at risk for thirdhand smoke. Also, if you’re more into the materialistic things in life, smoking can ruin the interior of your car and stain surfaces in the home.
While secondhand smoke occurs when you’re standing next to someone while they’re smoking, with thirdhand smoke there might not be a cigarette in sight. Have you ever walked past someone and gotten a whiff of that stale cigarette smell? Or walked into a smoker’s bedroom and noticed the odor clinging to the curtains and sheets? This is contamination that lingers long after the last cigarette was smoked.
According to a report by the U.S. Surgeon General, there is no completely safe level of tobacco exposure. It pointed out that secondhand smoke (at the time of the report, the term thirdhand smoke was not yet coined) could cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and lung problems, ear infections, and severe asthma in children. Other dangers are heart disease and lung cancer. There are 250 poisonous toxins found in cigarette smoke, including lead, arsenic, and cyanide. Cyanide has been used in chemical weapons, and arsenic has been used as a rat killer. Smoke settles on all the surfaces of your home or car. Open a window, using a fan, or moving to a different area are not enough to escape the lingering chemicals.
To help keep your home smoke-free, the most obvious suggestion is don’t smoke inside your house. The same goes for the car. Set up a designated area outdoors for smoking, preferably away from any children’s play areas. Tell visitors to your home to smoke outside. Instead of smoking inside the car, wait until you reach your destination and go to a designated smoking area. Driving around with the windows down will not prevent smoke from settling onto seats and other surfaces. If you find yourself tempted while you’re driving, move the cigarette package – or your purse or whatever you might have it stored in – to the trunk or somewhere you can’t reach.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504.
