Third hand cigarette smoke not cause for panic

The fact that the science is not proven has not stopped people from making alarmist claims about the dangers to people's health. An Australian National University (ANU) researcher is warning against undue alarm as the concept of health concerns from third-hand-smoke - lingering residue from cigarettes - is starting to build momentum in Australia. Professor Simone Dennis, an anthropologist who has studied the lives of smokers for 15 years, has urged Australian policy makers to wait for appropriate scientific evidence before passing any laws relating to third-hand-smoke. "There is a paranoia now about whether or not smokers are dangerous even if they don't have a lit cigarette in their hand," Professor Dennis said. "They are considered dangerous, dirty and infected. "Third-hand-smoke is where you have cigarette residue on clothes, skin, or other surfaces such as in a car or house. "It can't be removed by washing or airing out, and no-one knows how long it stays for as the science is really new," said Professor Dennis, who works at the ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology.