Dangers of third-hand smoke: Outlaw Parental Smoking?

[The Straight Story]

Outlaw Parental Smoking

In light of the new report about the dangers of third-hand smoke—plus what’s already known about secondhand smoke—governments should make it illegal for people with children to smoke. Pro or con?

Pro: One More Nail in the Coffin

The medical journal Pediatrics rang in 2009 with sobering news about cigarettes: Even those who smoke outside to spare loved ones from secondhand smoke do them another disservice. So-called third-hand smoke, the residue of toxic cigarette ingredients, clings to smokers’ hair and clothing long after they snuff out the cigarette. For parents, that means picking up or hugging their children could contaminate them with the likes of hydrogen cyanide, butane, arsenic, and polonium-210, according to the study, led by Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Jonathan P. Winickoff. A New York Times story about the study pointed out that polonium-210 is the same substance “used to murder former Russian spy Alexander V. Litvinenko in 2006.”

“Smokers have a right to breathe in those 4,000 chemicals contained in cigarettes, and nonsmokers have a right not to,” says Danny McGoldrick, vice-president for research at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in Washington, D.C.

No one’s rights are more relevant than those of children, who have little means to protect themselves from their parents’ hazardous habits. It should be illegal for parents to smoke, period.

----

Con: Enough with the Hype and Guilt

Why is everyone so quick to believe this slight evidence about “third-hand smoke,” and what makes smoking any worse than parents’ other bad behavior?

“A lot of smokers are happy about this third-hand smoke report, because it shows what ridiculous lengths antismoking people will go to,” says Dave Hitt, a smoker who created the opinion site the Hittman Chronicle (www.davehitt.com). “The study was nothing more than a phone survey on what people believe is harmful. The stuff used to kill the Russian spy, the polonium, was a huge dose—you’d have to have a baby licking the floor clean every day for 267 billion years to equal it.”



http://www.businessweek.com/debateroom/archives/2009/01/outlaw_parental.html

[Broken_Hero]

1. They have something simliar to this in Arkansas

you can get a fine/ticket if you get caught driving/smoking, with children in the car...I believe this went into effect back in 2007, although I could be off on the date.

[justabob]

2. how could that be enforced? nt

[The Straight Story]

6. Homeland Security, Nanny division will be hiring a lot of folks

Sadly many of them will be from the left, of course those on the right will fill the slots of those wanting to impose their morals using a different reason.

Eventually we will all have the 10 million commandments to check over each day to make sure everyone is happy :)

[justabob]

10. this stuff wears me out

I have no problem with indoor bans, but this is getting out of control. Maybe we will have to sign up for a smokers license.... or be tested weekly or some shit. Who knows.

[NeedleCast]

21. Smoking License! Shhhhhhh!

FFS, don't give them ideas! They'd love to find a way to levy more taxes against smoking.

[Warpy]

3. Parents who really care

are already going outside and they're to be commended.

As for the rest, smoking is still legal and parents aren't required to seal their children inside a bubble to make sure they're perfectly safe from every nasty thing the world has to offer.

This is getting silly.

As an asthmatic, I'm delighted smoking has been banned from enclosed public spaces. That's the limit of where it should go, though, and I'll be the first to say it.

[Taverner]

4. I believe in 2nd hand smoke (indoors only) - but 3rd hand smoke is pure BS

If so, then you should take a shower and wear clean clothes after taking a walk outside. Car exhaust is just as dangerous.

3rd hand smoke is a Canard

[Occam Bandage]

5. We don't need to outlaw smoking.

The massive and increasing social stigma, and ever-increasing taxes on cigarettes and smoke-free places, will continue to lower smoking rates. I'm perfectly fine with individual smokers deciding to fuck themselves up and pay through their rotting noses for the privilege, and I like restricting lit cigarettes from public places.

For the question at hand? 3rd-hand smoke seems unbelievable; I'd have to see some sort of full study proving it has any sort of effect.

[enlightenment]

17. Rotting noses?

I've known smokers all my life and I've never seen one with a rotting nose.

Are you confusing smoking tobacco and snorting coke? That will rot you nose, for sure.

[texastoast]

7. Parents shouldn't smoke around kids

Anyone's, but surely not inside closed spaces.

But if they want to smoke (smoking is a pleasure for many), just take it outside. The residue stuff is just silly. We would all need to stay away from outgassing carpet, paint, furniture, car and truck exhaust. Living is dangerous.

[seabeyond]

8. why havent we, both children and adults.... just dropped dead. especially

three, four, five decades ago when more smoke and fewer ventalated. we should all be dead by now

[NYC_SKP]

9. Eliminate the 4000 chemicals in cigarettes. Problem solved.

There are but a couple brands of tobacco-only cigarettes.

The FDA approves tobacco additives using the same list as approved food additives.

Fine, except that we don't breathe the fumes of our burning food products.

Unless you've eaten when I'm cooking!

[rcrush]

11. What brands are there?

I know of American Spirits I smoke those occasionally. What other brands are tobacco only?

[NYC_SKP]

14. That's what I buy.

I've only seen others in tobacco stores but cannot remember any names.

There was a brand named "Real" years ago, but no more.

[rcrush]

15. What about Winstons?

A friend told me that Winstons are supposedly all natural. But I like the American Spirits yellow box better.

[NYC_SKP]

16. Searched it, check this out

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1997/12/08/234921/index.htm

[juno jones]

28. Shermans and some of the European brands as well.

But you pay more for the priveledge of unadulterated smokes.

I smoke occasionally, when I do, I use american spirit rolling tobacco mixed with lavender, sage and mullien.

[ixion]

12. ...

...

:eyes:

[hootinholler]

13. So nice to see our regularly scheduled smoking war rekindled...

Things were getting boring around here.

-Hoot

[The Straight Story]

19. I try to keep things flowing and boredom at bay, next up - guns

:)

[NeedleCast]

22. I'd like guns, smoking and porn for the trifecta, Alex

[eilen]

24. The posts of brotherhood and harmony were reaching dangerous levels ...

Thanks.

[gollygee]

18. It can't possibly be any worse than riding around in traffic

Or sitting around a campfire or wood fireplace.

How ridiculous.

[NeedleCast]

20. I wish the ban brigade would just come out and say what they really want

ban smoking, completely.

[XOKCowboy]

29. and guns, Monster Truck shows, Nascar, meat.....

The list is endless around here. Ban this, outlaw that. We just voted out a totalitarian President. I don't get the mindset that now that we have a little control it's time to start banning things we don't like.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

23. First The Overhyped Second Hand Smoke Danger Bullshit. Now 3rd Hand Smoke? What A Crock Of Shit.

That's gotta be one of the most goddamn stupid things I've ever heard.

I hope all those who discriminate in an over the top fashion as it relates to smokers find themselves in a position of discrimination someday that's 10 fold in severity.

[dkofos]

25. Now it's ridiculous.

[sam sarrha]

26. make nicotine a DEADLY DRUG. have addicts sign up for maintenance nicotine, only 7% can ever quit

provide them with enough tobacco till they die..

make it a serious crime to use tobacco in front children under 21, the tobacco industry is dependant on addicting children to replace the adult addicts as they are killed off. people dont usually start smoking as adults, their money is dedicated to overhead and chasing sex.

tobacco kills as many people in the USA that have died in Iraq every 4 days, in Viet Nam every 47 days..

we need to eliminate Corporate campaign contributions in elections to rid our society of this horific plague


http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30

Annual Causes of Death in the United States
Tobacco 435,0001
Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity 365,0001
Alcohol 85,000 1
Microbial Agents 75,0001
Toxic Agents 55,0001
Motor Vehicle Crashes 26,3471
Adverse Reactions to Prescription Drugs 32,0002
Suicide 30,6223
Incidents Involving Firearms 29,0001
Homicide 20,3084
Sexual Behaviors 20,0001
All Illicit Drug Use, Direct and Indirect 17,0001, 5
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Such As Aspirin 7,6006
Marijuana 07

[XOKCowboy]

27. Both my parents smoked. In our presence. My mom even breastfed us

I'm not sure she even stopped smoking during 3 pregnancies. Guess what? NOTHING HAPPENED! To any of us! You see she didn't know it was dangerous back in the early 50s. My doctor smoked while examining us all through my childhood. How stupid they were. They didn't know that we needed helmets and knee/elbow pads to ride our bicycles (and horses and HORRORS riding in the back of a pickup truck). I don't know how we all survived into our 50s without people coming to our aid to save us.

I'm just saying..

[sam sarrha]

30. congrats... what about those that didn't fare co well, do they count at all

[ejpoeta]

31. i have a theory on this. because my mom smoked too, and we didn't get sick

or anything. in fact, my mom had a cigarette going in every room. we never had problems. I think what happened is that when they started going whole hog on the dangers of smoking, and put the surgeon general warning on the packs of cigarettes, the cigarette companies put something in there to make it harder to quit that made the smoke worse for people.

I am a former smoker myself. I quit when I was pregnant with my first daughter. I didn't know I was pregnant. I couldn't even smoke one cigarette I got so sick. So I tell her she helped me quit. But anyway, I detest the bs third hand smoking crap. Now, I believe in second hand smoke. my daughter's babysitter smoked around her and I was forever taking her to the doctor with bronchial problems. My husband never smoked around her. not in the house. not in the car. period. but the babysitter did. and as soon as I stopped taking her there, she was fine. but third hand smoke is bs. i mean, we have pollution in the air in general. please tell me how anyone can determine a 'third hand smoke' vs car, chemical, whatever else is floating in the air pollution.

I think there is a general kick the smokers thing. because you can't stand up for smokers. it isn't allowed. just like fat people are open season. and i had thought that once the smoker police got away with banning smoking everywhere, then the food police would be next. not too far off am i.

but i digress. I believe that people have a right to smoke if they want. I hate that my husband smokes, and have asked him to quit. He has been trying. The insurance company refused to cover the medicine the doctor prescribed him to help him quit. $120/mo. AARRGGHH!!! we can't afford that!!! sigh. so much for quitting.

[IndianaJohn]

32. I think I'll go out for a smoke...

:smoke:

[Seldona]

33. Silly.

Why not just seal your kids in a bubble? There are over 20 million windows spewing lead into children's homes as we speak in the form of paint chips and breathable particulate matter.

Oh, and quit your job and destroy your car. Be sure and hire hazmat teams to dispose of the toxic materials properly. Also I am amazed that stuff like this can even be posted, since I would imagine most of these types would morally have to have their electricity shut off. 80% of that comes from burning coal.

And owning a computer? Do you have any idea the amount of poisonous shit involved in making that, let alone what it contains in toxic products.

Wouldn't want to contribute to poisoning the environment. lol

[TheKentuckian]

34. Oh please

Why do we advocate government interference in our personal lives? They can't keep up with watching the corporations and defending us from aggressors as it is.

Fuck off Totalitarian nanny state.