Third-Hand Smoke

(Boston, Massachusetts) Prefacing a study led by Dr. Jonathan Winickoff of Harvard Medical School is that babies and young children are harmed by "third-hand smoke" which is defined as toxins left on surfaces after the smoke has cleared. The danger of the toxins, or clinging pollutants, was not addressed by the study, rather the study polled the public to determine how many people agree with Dr. Winickoff.

Therefore, the Winickoff study is a focus group-type effort to collect baseline data ostensibly for future socio-political initiatives. The medical study was simply a public opinion poll.

Undoubtedly, public opinion is important, especially when there is scant data to back up putative scientific findings. Think global warming, for example.

Furthermore, public opinion regarding second-hand smoke prompted the enactment of anti-smoking laws for restaurants, bars, office buildings, public parks and elsewhere. To date, reported deleterious effects of second-hand smoke have been largely anecdotal in nature, not scientific.

Therefore, it appears that the Winickoff study is merely perching the third-hand smoke theme on top of the flagpole to see how many people salute. Results so far have been disappointing. Less than half (43.3 percent) of the respondents agreed that third-hand smoke is a problem. As a consequence, the socio-political researchers are calling on the government to make the public more aware of the dangers of third-hand smoke.

Ominously, it appears that the researchers' goal is to strongly push the third-hand smoke issue and achieve a level of public agreement sufficient to justify enacting laws which would make it illegal to smoke in private dwellings.

Ironically, while Harvard Medical School researchers are conjuring up innovative ways to limit personal freedom, Massachusetts citizens saw a law take effect which decriminalizes the possession and use of marijuana. I'll bet that the third-hand smoke project didn't address marijuana smoke, rather it was likely an anti-tobacco effort from the get-go.

Nevertheless, it must logically be assumed that a fourth-hand smoke study is also being designed, possibly with the help of Madison Avenue ad executives whose successes include being able to convince the public that a six-bladed razor actually scares whiskers into protruding outward so they can be cut deep in the follicle. The fourth-hand smoke will likely be defined as respiration from a person who smokes. If enough of the public buys that line, then laws can be passed to prohibit smokers from coming within 50 feet of non-smokers.

Notably, although there has been nothing reported, it's expected that the socio-political quest to limit personal liberty will address second and third-hand diesel exhaust, clinging pollutants acquired at bus and truck stops. Then there's also second and third-hand E-coli contamination due to intruded flatulence in seat cushions. Just think. When enough people buy into those dangers, laws can be passed to ban all diesel engines and require every chair to be covered in an impermeable plastic sleeve.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.