The killer called "third-hand smoke"

CEBU, Philippines - Have you stepped into an elevator and smelled the pungent scent of cigarette smoke? Or have you wondered why a room smells like that of freshly-lit cigarette butts even when there is no smoker around?

You might have thought there is no longer risk to you because no one is actually smoking nearby and that what you smelt would soon just waft away without causing you harm.  Wrong! Actually, you've had yourself in the real and dangerous world of "third-hand smoke"!

Third-hand smoke is more than just the smell of an ash tray or traces in the air of the last puff of the smoker who was around.  It does not leave marks, so we do not often get alarmed. But, although we cannot even see it, third-hand smoke is actually there and is deadly, too.

This is a relatively new concept that has been coined to define another potential hazard of cigarette smoking. If doctors keep on telling us about the risks associated with smoking and the threats of second-hand smoke, everyone should be wary of third-hand smoke as well. (FREEMAN)