New tobacco butt dangers

Scientists find hurtful emissions

SCIENTISTS have discovered a new form of cigarette danger and it comes from long-time dead butts.

In what they have labelled “after smoke”, researchers for the first time have found that there is a shock level of airborne nicotine emissions coming from butts, lying in bins and ashtrays – even if they have been there for a week – putting kids at risk in the car and at home.

The surprise revelations has sparked a warning from the Cancer Council Queensland.

Researchers Scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US found that each butt emits almost 15 per cent of the nicotine that a burning cigarette gives off.

The research has compounded Cancer Council Queensland’s message that when it comes to smoking there is no safe level.

“In Queensland there is a need for more smoke-free public spaces and the primary reason is to reduce exposure to harmful second-hand smoke,” said CCQ chief executive Chris McMillan said.

Smoking continues to be the leading cause of premature death and disease in Queensland.

Close to 3700 people in the state die from a tobacco-related disease each year.

The NIST measurements were performed under an interagency agreement with the Food and Drug Administration as part of its analysis of the overall impact of cigarette smoking on people’s lives.

Most of the chemicals from the extinguished butts were emitted in the first 24 hours but nicotine and triacetin concentrations were still about 50 per cent of the initial level five days later.

Triacetin is a plasticiser often used to make filters stiff.

The team also found that butts emitted these chemicals at higher rates when the air temperature was higher.

“This means if you don’t empty an ashtray in your home for a week, the amount of nicotine exposure to nonsmokers could be double current estimates,” researcher Dustin Poppendieck said.

“You might think that by never smoking in your car when kids are present, you are protecting the non smokers or children around you but if the ashtray in your hot car is full of butts that are emitting these chemicals, exposure is happening,” he said.