http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-study-warns-of-dangers-of-thirdhand.html

“The Salmonella typhimurium microsomal test system for mutagenic activity was successfully used to detect the presence of mutagenic compounds in the smoke condensates of several types of cigarettes. The condensates were shown to contain compounds which could cause frameshift mutations when activated by microsomal enzymes.”

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=434349

I’m old enough to remember that people smoked just everywhere, doing everything. Every room had an ashtray. Kids would make ashtrays in art class, a gift everyone needed back then. Life was a lot simpler when cigarettes were simply stinky and not something that could change your genetics. This is a case of knowledge = loss of innocence.

Here I was feeling proud of myself for having read a book a bunch of strangers haven’t heard of, but you wouldn’t let me have that pleasure.

Sounds like he’s talking to our group. I have dibs on the purple ape suit though.

One of my favorite passages in the extremely odd book “Flaming London” by Joe Lansdale is when Mark Twain recites that essay to a talking seal, a giant purple ape from Mars, Jules Vern, Sitting Bull, and a cat-woman from the Island of Dr. Monroe (I told you it was odd).

Well it’s my fault. Cicero only appears when I conjure him up with my magic email address. I have two set up and sometimes I forget to type in the correct one. My bad.

On Hegel, I agree. He reminds me of James Fenimore Cooper, or most any Russian novelist. Just say it and quit telling us you are about to say it! As Twain said of Cooper in his famous essay “Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses, for god’s sake ” Say what [you are] proposing to say, not merely come near it.”

What’s with your disappearing philosopher? I’d read much more of Hegel’s work if I could parts of it disappear at will. In my opinion he suffered from the same problem as Wagner, lack of editing.

Your point is well taken. Am association proves nothing. Fish are associated with water. One does not necessarily cause the other, though one may be necessary, in combination with various factors, to produce the other. Mommy fish + Daddy fish + water + etc = fish. However, I think the point is that caution is called for when the association is strong.

I’m rather skeptical of this. Being associated with something doesn’t equal a causal relationship. Lead has been demonstrated to cause cognitive deficits, it’s not merely associated with those deficits. I think a lot more research needs to be done before any conclusions can be made.

This info doesn’t fully answer your questions but it’s a start. The info comes from Science Digest:

“Particulate matter from tobacco smoke has been proven toxic. According to the National Toxicology Program, these 250 poisonous gases, chemicals, and metals include hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, butane, ammonia, toluene (found in paint thinners), arsenic, lead, chromium (used to make steel), cadmium (used to make batteries), and polonium-210 (highly radioactive carcinogen). Eleven of the compounds are classified as Group 1 carcinogens, the most dangerous.

Small children are especially susceptible to third-hand smoke exposure because they can inhale near, crawl and play on, or touch and mouth contaminated surfaces. Third-hand smoke can remain indoors even long after the smoking has stopped. Similar to low-level lead exposure, low levels of tobacco particulates have been associated with cognitive deficits among children, and the higher the exposure level, the lower the reading score. These findings underscore the possibility that even extremely low levels of these compounds may be neurotoxic and, according to the researchers, justify restricting all smoking in indoor areas inhabited by children.”

There you go again, being all rational.

Although, reading the article the study was a survey of attitudes, not of the actual effect of “third hand smoke.” I’d be much more interested in seeing what amount of exposure to those toxins and carcinogens actually results from the lingering after traces of smoking. A comparison to other well know exposure risks would help provide a frame of reference for just how dangerous this actually is.

No matter what I’m still going to take a shower, brush my teeth, and change my cloths after my (very) occasional cigar, but that’s only because I enjoy the company of my wife.

“Dont smoke, dont sex, just choke and die”

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They have already lost the sense to sense this subtle message!