In a recent study published in the JAMA Network Open , a group of researchers compared nicotine absorption among children exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke, secondhand vapor, and those with no exposure. Children's exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke has significantly declined in many countries, including the United States (US) and England, due to decreased parental smoking and smoke-free home rules. However, the rise of nicotine electronic (e)-cigarettes, also known as vaping, since the 2010s has introduced another source of secondhand exposure.
Vaping indoors is more common than smoking, even in homes with children. Cigarettes produce mainstream and sidestream smoke, while vaping generates aerosol only during puffs, with vapers retaining over 99% of inhaled nicotine. Consequently, children's exposure to nicotine and other harmful substances from secondhand vapor is significantly lower than from secondhand smoke.
Further research is needed to understand the long-term health effects of children's exposure to secondhand e-cigarette vapor compared to secondhand tobacco smoke. The present study utilized National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2017 to March 2020. Participants completed home interviews and provided blood samples at a mobile examination center.
Proxy respondents (usually parents or guardians) answered questionnaires for children aged 11 years or younger. The response rates were 59% for 6- to 11-year-olds and 63% for 1- to 5-year-olds, .