03/21/2018 / By Jessica Dolores
Those fabulous casinos look inviting and tempting, especially after a long day when all you want is to unwind and reward yourself at the card tables. But do you know that aside from stoking gambling addictions, the casino is also a hotbed of thirdhand tobacco smoke?
Thirdhand smoke, while still a new concept, is everywhere. It lingers on furniture, curtains, carpet, and other areas where a smoker stayed, long after he or she has left the place. Thirdhand smoke is especially heavy in casinos, where the smell of tobacco from smoking guests are more concentrated because it is confined indoors.
A new study showed that years of smoking in casinos lead to a heavy buildup of thirdhand smoke on walls, furniture, and carpets in a Northern Carolina casino.
The residue level dropped after smoking was prohibited. But six months later, the tobacco level remained high, not only in the casino, but in other places where people inhaled large amounts of nicotine.
Researchers who took surface samples of select areas in the casino and examined the fingers and urine of non-smokers who went there had bad news. They found out that nonsmokers inhaled more thirdhand smoke in the casino than those who lived with smokers.
This finding raises concerns about the health and well-being of casino employees who make a living out of staying there eight hours a day. High rollers who can’t resist the lure of the casino face the same problem.
This makes it even more important for casino owners to change carpets, furniture, wallpaper, drapes, curtains, and others regularly to save employees and guests from thirdhand smoke. Tobacco becomes even more harmful because it stays indoors instead of escaping in the air and sparing casino workers and guests.
The same principle applies at home, where children are at great risk from smoking parents. A child breathes faster, so they stand to inhale more harmful chemicals.
Therefore, step outside or stay outdoors if you feel like lighting a cigarette.
Scientists agree that smoking is hazardous to the health. That’s because smoking leads to:
It becomes even more necessary for you to protect your lungs if you smoke, or are on the receiving end of second or thirdhand smoke. Here are some tips.
Your lungs let life-giving oxygen into your body and keep it alive. They also expel carbon dioxide to rid our body of harmful substances. Taking care of them will make us enjoy everything life has to offer.
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Tagged Under:
casino, pollutants, smoking, thirdhand smoke, Tobacco, toxins
This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author