Q&A: Thirdhand cigarette smoke -- the gift that keeps on giving

Q: My husband smokes, and although he never does it around the kids, the smell lingers in the car and on his clothes. How can I convince him that leftover smoke smell matters? – Ellen W., Fort Collins, Colo.

A: You’re right about what we call thirdhand smoke, or THS. Firsthand smoke is inhaled into the lungs. Secondhand smoke clouds the air and is inhaled by everyone else. And then, after the smoke clears, there’s residue left on clothes, carpets, floors, walls and upholstery. That’s THS. It’s toxic, and some of the carcinogens it deposits, which can be picked up by others, include hydrogen cyanide, butane, toluene, arsenic, lead, carbon monoxide and polonium 210.