ETS, THS & TSNAs?

Posted By on February 12, 2010

I’m not even sure where to start on this one.  We all knew it was coming so here it goes.  I think I can be sure that you nosmokingare all fully aware of the studies out there regarding ETS or Environmental Tobacco smoke more commonly known as Foggy Death, I mean second hand smoke.  I’ve written at length many times over the issues related to these studies that never seem to be questioned and very often show relative risks at levels considered to be negligible at best.  Some have even shown minor benefits to having some ETS exposure.  Can you see the headlines on that one, ‘Moderate Exposure to ETS Strengthens Immune System Causing You to be Healthier!’  That one will never make the front page news.  A recent study, causing a stir and giving the anit-tobacco movement more amunition to ban smoking everywhere, was released that attempts to highlight the toxic effects of third hand smoke (THS).  Stop laughing because this shit is the real deal and they will use this in their effort to stop us from even smoking in our own homes if possible.

Since I’m really not an overly bright guy to begin with, I’ll try to keep the chemistry lesson to a minimum and just reactionshare with you cats the parts I understand.  The new study showed that the residual nicotine from tobacco smoke will cling to indoor surfaces and react with ambient nitrous acid  (common household pollutants) to form carcinogen tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs).  The exposure to TSNAs is through inhalation of dust particles or contact with the  “contaminated” surface.  The greatest threat would of course be infants and toddlers who are forced to accept their environment.  (emphasis mine)  One author of the study went so far as to state in an interview that “opening a window or deploying a fan to ventilate the room while a cigarette burns does not eliminate the hazard of third hand smoke.  Smoking outdoors is not much of an improvement.”  Statements like those become very powerful for the anti-tobacco crowd since it easily feeds the fire (no pun intended) to continue pushing to eliminate any and all smoking.  Remember that the majority of these studies mainly focus on the effects of cigarettes and cigarette smokers, but they don’t care what you smoke since the results are interpreted in a way to lump us together in the effort to ban smoking.

There is no acceptable level of ETS or THS they are willing to accept and once studies like this gain legs it becomes even more difficult to fight the onslaught of the anti-tobacco forces.  The reason I even point out this new study to you guys is an attempt to show you the extraordinary great lengths being taken by those who oppose tobacco to prove, no matter what the cost or time frame, that tobacco is not safe to anyone and should be completely banned.  They will not give up until that end has been reached and shit like this only helps their cause.  Sense and reasoning have never been a part of the conversation while smoking bans and tax increases are levied on tobacco users so even though this study only shows “potential” risks (hell, it’s even in the name of the study; Formation of carcinogens indoors by surface-mediated reactions of nicotine with nitrous acid leading to potential thirdhand smoke hazards) you can bet they will preach these results from the mountains.  Minus the “potential” part.

smoking_baby_1The battle cry of “Anything for the children” seems to be ringing in my ears right now because that’s how the anti’s will use a study such as this to continue pushing their agenda that the effects of tobacco hurt everyone regardless of whether it’s first, second or now third hand smoke.  Before we know it we’ll see a new study that will try to show how if you smoke in your home your child could pass TSNAs to the other kids in daycare and Fourthhand smoke is now a deadly killer.  Now, I’m not saying that its right to chain smoke in front of your newborn.  As a matter of fact if you do shit like that you need to have your head examined. Let me recommend Dr. Jack Kevorkian to assist you.  Yeah, that joke means exactly what I intended it to mean.  What I think is wrong is this Nanny State that has been created where Big Brother has to protect us from ourselves.  Do some young children need to looked after and protected from cleary incompetent parents?  Sure.  Are there actually some knuckle dragging hill scroggins that still smoke in front of their newborns? You bet there are.  Are there anit-tobacco zealots that sit their child in front of a campfire for the evening while feeding the flames with empty plastic bottles, styrofoam plates and other assorted toxic trash.  Umm, yes.  I guess we only need to protect ourselves from ourselves if we enjoy tobacco. 

Sorry to rant about the bad news out there but when I look at our past time it just seems like there is so much of it.  I do have some good news I need to share withyou guys though.  We still have two more events this month for the club.  February 17th is our Appleton/Fox Valley Cigar night and of course don’t forget that on the 24th we have our VIP and Platinum Members only dinner.  If you qualify and have not yet sent me an RSVP, please do so right away so I have an accurate head count for the meal.  As for next month we’ll have our Green Bay Chapter Cigar Night on March 2nd with special guest Adam Paal from www.fireupthatcigar.com hosting a tasting clinic.  Also, look out for news on the Rocky Patel Event at Titletown Tobacco coming up soon.

The Cigar Soldier

About the author

The Cigar Soldier is the founding father and President of The Brotherhood of the Leaf, an internet community of cigar enthusiasts and Northeast Wisconsin’s only true membership based cigar club. As the main writer for Cigar Night Online.com, his rants can sting, stir or inspire your emotions, as he leaves no topic of enjoying the cigar lifestyle off his hit list.

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