Lead and Smoke

A lot of new studies

The contribution of secondhand tobacco smoke to blood lead levels in US children and adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2015–2018. Alexander Obeng, Taehyun Roh, Anisha Aggarwal, Kido Uyasmasi & Genny Carrillo BMC Public Health volume 23, Article number: 1129 (2023) Background: Lead is a major developmental neurotoxicant in children, and tobacco smoke has been suggested as a source of lead exposure in vulnerable populations. This study evaluates the contribution of secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) to blood lead levels (BLLs) in children and adolescents.

September 13, 2023. Clinical Advisor. Secondhand Smoke Increases Lead Levels in Children. "Secondhand smoke may be an important but overlooked source of chronic lead exposure in kids and adolescents. That is the key finding of our recent study, published in the journal BMC Public Health. We analyzed national data on blood lead levels and secondhand smoke exposure in 2815 US children and teenagers ages 6 to 19 years old from 2015 to 2018. We looked at levels of lead and a nicotine metabolite – a substance known as cotinine produced in the body’s chemical process that forms when tobacco smoke is inhaled. Levels of cotinine indicate exposure to tobacco smoke."