Metals in tobacco harmful to health

donderdag 30 april 2015 11:01

Growing tobacco plants acquire metals from soil, fertilisers, and industrial pollution. Smoking liberates some of these metals from tobacco into smoke to be inhaled by the smoker and bystanders. This can cause harmful health effects, such as cancer, and liver- and kidney damage. Arsenic, cadmium, nickel and lead are the main contributors to the health risks of metals in smoke. These are results of research conducted by the University of St Andrews (Scotland) commissioned by RIVM.