Starting today, California is taking a stand against thirdhand smoke.<\/p>\n
While most people are well aware of the health threat of secondhand smoke \u2014 what you inhale from someone smoking a cigarette nearby \u2014 \u201cthirdhand smoke\u201d is much less discussed. But it may actually be more toxic.<\/p>\n
It can certainly have a very real effect on your health, upping your chances of cancer and heart disease \u2014 and the Golden State has just enacted the first law in the world to combat it.<\/p>\n
![\"Close-up](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/girl-smoke-cigarette-house-close-118106918.jpg\")
Thirdhand smoke is the chemicals from smoke that sticks to surfaces long after the smoking stops \u2014 and can then renter the air. A new California law requires homeowners to disclose thirdhand smoke when selling property. Degimages \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Introduced by Assemblymember Catherine Stefani (D-San Francisco) and passed unanimously, California Assembly Bill 455 requires homeowners to disclose any history of thirdhand smoke or vaping residue when selling their property.<\/p>\n
If the seller has knowledge of any past smoking or nicotine use in the home, they must tell potential buyers in writing. <\/p>\n
The state\u2019s Homeowners\u2019 Guide to Environmental Hazards is also being updated to include thirdhand smoke.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because thirdhand smoke lingers in the places people have smoked, even when they are no longer smoking or in the room. The chemical residue gets into fabrics, sticks to surfaces and even clings to the walls.<\/p>\n
It can stay there for months and even years, impacting those in the environment who may breathe it in, ingest it via dust, or touch it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThirdhand smoke is not just an irritating smell in the home. It indicates that the home is contaminated with potentially harmful chemicals derived from tobacco smoke,\u201d explained Neal Benowitz, MD, a UC San Francisco<\/a> professor emeritus of medicine and co-author of a recent paper<\/a> on thirdhand smoke.<\/p>\n The threat of thirdhand smoke exposure is similar to that of secondhand smoke exposure, an increased risk of cancer chief among them. It also puts people at risk for heart disease, lung illness and birth defects.<\/p>\n \u201cIn mice, researchers have found that thirdhand smoke exposure causes DNA damage, can cause or promote cancer, cause immune dysfunction and behavior disturbances,\u201d Benowitz told Medical Xpress<\/a>. \u201cStudies of people exposed to thirdhand smoke found changes in blood proteins that have been associated with inflammation and heart disease.\u201d<\/p>\n He warned that the most at-risk populations include people with allergies and asthma, as well as children, \u201cwho crawl on the floor, can put objects contaminated with thirdhand smoke into their mouths, and can absorb it through the skin.\u201d<\/p>\n Those who live in multi-unit low-cost housing are also more likely to be exposed. Benowitz said he hopes future legislation will tackle this problem to help renters.<\/p>\n \u201cIn many cases, a smoker moves out of an apartment and a nonsmoker moves in unaware of the risk,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n While the threats are similar, thirdhand smoke behaves a bit differently from secondhand smoke \u2014 and may be more toxic.<\/p>\n According to new research from the Chinese Academy of Sciences<\/a>, secondhand smoke disperses quickly. Thirdhand smoke, however stays in the air longer, albeit at a low level. It also becomes more nitrogen-rich over time, which may make it more harmful.<\/p>\n![\"Happy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/cute-little-baby-crawling-carpet-118106985.jpg\")
Babies are most at risk because they crawl on the floor. New Africa \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n