Cancer-Causing Chemicals from Tobacco Smoke Found in Baby Urine

**jAZ** · 05-13-2006, 09:54 AM

http://www.livescience.com/humanbiol...oke_urine.html

Cancer-Causing Chemicals from Tobacco Smoke Found in Baby Urine
By Ker Than
LiveScience Staff Writer
posted: 12 May 2006
12:37 am ET

Scientists have detected cancer-causing chemicals associated with tobacco smoke in the urine of infants whose parents smoke.

The finding, detailed in the May issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, supports the idea that persistent exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in childhood can contribute to the development of cancer later in life, said study team member Stephen Hecht of the Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota.

"The take home message is, 'Don't smoke around your kids,'" Hecht said.

The researchers collected urine from 144 infants, aged 3 months to 12 months, who lived in homes where at least one parent was a smoker. Urine from nearly half of the infants contained detectable levels of NNAL, a chemical byproduct produced in the human body when it processes NNK, a cancer-causing chemical, or carcinogen, found only in tobacco.

"You don't find NNAL in urine except in people who are exposed to tobacco smoke, whether they're adults, children or infants," Hecht said.

In the families of babies who had detectable levels of NNAL, family members reported smoking an average of 76 cigarettes per week. For babies who had no detectable levels of NNAL in their urine, the average number of cigarettes reportedly smoked by family members was 27 per week.

Levels of urinary NNAL in the infants were higher than that seen in older children and adults exposed to secondhand smoke. The researchers suspect this is due to infants being less able to move around and avoid the smoke. They also hypothesize that it might not be enough simply to stop smoking in the presence of babies, since NNAL and nicotine could potentially cling to dust and the surfaces of household objects.

A previous study by Hecht and his colleagues indicated that the first urine from newborns whose mothers smoked during pregnancy contained even higher levels of NNAL compared to babies in the current study.

The new research also included a six-month intervention program to help mothers decrease their child's exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke.

dtebbe · 05-13-2006, 09:56 AM

If this is true, I'm a dead man walking, despite having never smoked in my life.

DT

hypersensitiveZO6 · 05-13-2006, 09:57 AM

jspchief · 05-13-2006, 09:59 AM

Lies.

/scumbag smoker

Hammock Parties · 05-13-2006, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtebbe

If this is true, I'm a dead man walking, despite having never smoked in my life.

DT

Stop drinking baby urine.

**alanm** · 05-13-2006, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtebbe

If this is true, I'm a dead man walking, despite having never smoked in my life.

DT

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Hydrae · 05-13-2006, 11:46 AM

So many questions about this study. Were the parents smoking around the kids or in another room (I smoke in the master bath with the fan on specifically because of the kids)? Are the findings worse in the case of a mother who smokes and breastfeeds? Did any of these kids have a mother who smoked during the pregnancy?

All these things are additional contributing factors that I would hope they took into account during the study. I am sure there are others I am not thinking of as well.

4th and Long · 05-13-2006, 12:05 PM

I can't believe something this obvious would be considered news.

Imon Yourside · 05-13-2006, 12:30 PM

what they didn't tell ya was this was done on the 12 year old pregnant girl from the other thread who smoked at age 10.

Sully · 05-13-2006, 12:54 PM

So you are saying that when I soaked my heroin in baby urine, I wasn't making it safer?

Frazod · 05-13-2006, 01:48 PM

And THIS is the first salvo in the Anti-Smoking Nazis' battle to keep you from smoking in YOUR OWN HOUSE.

mikey23545 · 05-13-2006, 06:43 PM

Let me preface this question by stating I am a nonsmoker and hate the smell of cigarettes:

Since we can probably detect some chemicals in parts per trillion, does the fact the infants have detectable amounts of these substances in their urine have any bearing at all on their health?

**Rausch** · 05-13-2006, 06:52 PM

The family that dies together, stays together...

**Bob Dole** · 05-13-2006, 06:55 PM

Bob Dole has never smoked around his children.

Eleazar · 05-13-2006, 07:03 PM

Police! Open up! We're here to check for smoking!

05-13-2006, 09:54 AM
jAZ Supporter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Tucson, AZ Casino cash: $9847493	Cancer-Causing Chemicals from Tobacco Smoke Found in Baby Urine http://www.livescience.com/humanbiol...oke_urine.html Cancer-Causing Chemicals from Tobacco Smoke Found in Baby Urine By Ker Than LiveScience Staff Writer posted: 12 May 2006 12:37 am ET Scientists have detected cancer-causing chemicals associated with tobacco smoke in the urine of infants whose parents smoke. The finding, detailed in the May issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, supports the idea that persistent exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in childhood can contribute to the development of cancer later in life, said study team member Stephen Hecht of the Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota. "The take home message is, 'Don't smoke around your kids,'" Hecht said. The researchers collected urine from 144 infants, aged 3 months to 12 months, who lived in homes where at least one parent was a smoker. Urine from nearly half of the infants contained detectable levels of NNAL, a chemical byproduct produced in the human body when it processes NNK, a cancer-causing chemical, or carcinogen, found only in tobacco. "You don't find NNAL in urine except in people who are exposed to tobacco smoke, whether they're adults, children or infants," Hecht said. In the families of babies who had detectable levels of NNAL, family members reported smoking an average of 76 cigarettes per week. For babies who had no detectable levels of NNAL in their urine, the average number of cigarettes reportedly smoked by family members was 27 per week. Levels of urinary NNAL in the infants were higher than that seen in older children and adults exposed to secondhand smoke. The researchers suspect this is due to infants being less able to move around and avoid the smoke. They also hypothesize that it might not be enough simply to stop smoking in the presence of babies, since NNAL and nicotine could potentially cling to dust and the surfaces of household objects. A previous study by Hecht and his colleagues indicated that the first urine from newborns whose mothers smoked during pregnancy contained even higher levels of NNAL compared to babies in the current study. The new research also included a six-month intervention program to help mothers decrease their child's exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke.
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05-13-2006, 09:56 AM	#2
dtebbe 3M TA3 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: SoFlo Casino cash: $9993039	If this is true, I'm a dead man walking, despite having never smoked in my life. DT
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05-13-2006, 09:57 AM	#3
hypersensitiveZO6 EK Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: KCMO Casino cash: $10004900	no __________________ WHO: Kansas City Chiefs WHAT: Super Bowl XLI WHERE: South Florida 02.04.07 "Football is not a game but a religion, a metaphysical island of fundamental truth in a highly verbalized, disguised society, a throwback of 30,000 generations of anthropological time." -Arnold Mandrell JOIN THE TRENT GREEN FOR PLAYOFFS BANDWAGON!
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05-13-2006, 09:59 AM	#4
jspchief BAMF Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Your Face Casino cash: $9998710	Lies. /scumbag smoker __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.
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05-13-2006, 11:46 AM	#7
Hydrae Sandbox: Leander Lasercats Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Austin, Tx Casino cash: $2337000	So many questions about this study. Were the parents smoking around the kids or in another room (I smoke in the master bath with the fan on specifically because of the kids)? Are the findings worse in the case of a mother who smokes and breastfeeds? Did any of these kids have a mother who smoked during the pregnancy? All these things are additional contributing factors that I would hope they took into account during the study. I am sure there are others I am not thinking of as well.
Posts: 14,686

05-13-2006, 12:05 PM	#8
4th and Long Wheeeeee!!! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: In a house Casino cash: $9334925	I can't believe something this obvious would be considered news. __________________
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05-13-2006, 12:30 PM	#9
Imon Yourside WhatUneed2Hear Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: AllSoulsMatter Casino cash: $2633181	what they didn't tell ya was this was done on the 12 year old pregnant girl from the other thread who smoked at age 10. __________________ "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" Peter 5:8 "Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay" Isaiah 29:16 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20
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05-13-2006, 12:54 PM	#10
Sully It Goes On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lees Summit Casino cash: $10026331	So you are saying that when I soaked my heroin in baby urine, I wasn't making it safer? __________________ "And I don't wish that girl any bad luck," he said, "but I hope she gets hit with a car." - Tommy Lasorda
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05-13-2006, 01:48 PM	#11
Frazod WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $3135085	And THIS is the first salvo in the Anti-Smoking Nazis' battle to keep you from smoking in YOUR OWN HOUSE.
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05-13-2006, 06:43 PM	#12
mikey23545 MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10015321	Let me preface this question by stating I am a nonsmoker and hate the smell of cigarettes: Since we can probably detect some chemicals in parts per trillion, does the fact the infants have detectable amounts of these substances in their urine have any bearing at all on their health?
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05-13-2006, 06:55 PM	#14
Bob Dole King Shit of **** Mountain Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Texarkana, Texas Casino cash: $2594497	Bob Dole has never smoked around his children.
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05-13-2006, 07:03 PM	#15
Eleazar Beyond the Rapids Join Date: May 2003 Location: Langley, VA Casino cash: $-370000	Police! Open up! We're here to check for smoking!
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