Thirdhand smoke: studies multiply, catchy name raises awareness.

H ealth agencies have warned of the danger of secondhand smoke for decades. Now a small but growing number of scientists are testing the possible health effects associated with the residue that cigarette smoke deposits on furniture, clothing, and other surfaces, a substance some are calling “thirdhand smoke.” The magnitude of the problem, the amount of attention and resources it warrants, and even the defi nition of the term itself remain a matter of debate, however. Some tobacco control experts think any effect from thirdhand smoke will be relatively limited and that the new term has driven recent interest more than scientifi c discoveries have. Despite that skepticism, at least one tobacco research agency has decided that thirdhand smoke and its potential effect on public health warrants greater scrutiny and announced a new funding initiative to support basic research on the potential hazards. Last year, Jonathan Winickoff, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues made headlines when they published a report on public attitudes about smoke residue, calling it “thirdhand smoke.” On the basis of a nationwide telephone survey, Winickoff’s team reported that individuals who thought thirdhand smoke was dangerous were more likely to ban smoking entirely from their homes than were individuals who did not perceive a health risk from smoke residue. The study attracted widespread media attention. Many of the news stories, though, focused not on the survey results but on the phrase “thirdhand smoke,” reporting that this was a new health hazard associated with cigarettes.