Secondhand smoke may be a substantial contributor to lead levels found in children and adolescents, new study finds

By Genny Carrillo, Associate Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M University
Taehyun Roh, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Texas A&M University

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 2,815 U.S. children and teenagers ages 6 to 19 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…

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