Education Law

Third-hand smoke? Join the world in saying no more tobacco!

BoardBuzz readers know that second-hand smoke is bad, but now doctors in Massachusetts have brought another issue to our attention: the ?toxic brew of gases and particles? that gets left behind long after second-hand smoke has dissipated. 

That doesn?t sound great, but why should BoardBuzz readers be concerned?  This residue, or ?third-hand smoke,? clings to clothing, upholstery and carpeting and is especially dangerous for children.  

BoardBuzz is picturing kindergartners sitting in a circle on the carpet.  The residue gets on their hands and clothing and can be ingested.  If ever there was a rationale for banning smoking on school property at all times, even when school is not in session, BoardBuzz believes this is it!

Third-hand smoke means that children can be harmed by heavy metals, carcinogens, and even radioactive materials weeks or months after a cigarette has been smoked inside their school.   And worse, we can?t get rid of it by simply running a fan or ventilating a building! 

This year, BoardBuzz readers have a great opportunity to combat the effects of third-hand smoke on World No Tobacco Day on May 31^st. 

World No Tobacco Day, an event sponsored by the World Health Organization, is a day for the world to unite and educate the public on the negative health outcomes associated with tobacco use and the deceitful marketing practices of tobacco companies.  BoardBuzz knows it is also a chance to protect future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco and third-hand smoke.

BoardBuzz readers can get help ensuring their school or district is 100% tobacco-free 100 percent of the time by visiting the National Consortium on Tobacco Use Prevention through Schools or emailing schoolhealth@nsba.org.

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on May 20, 2010 (boomark / email).