A smoker steps outside to have a quick cigarette. They wait to light up until they’re well beyond the state-mandated smoke-free area outside the building’s door. No one is around. When they’re done, they put out the butt, dispose of it properly, and walk back inside.
As far as current laws and social norms go, this smoker has done everything right. But new research published Wednesday in Science Advances reports that even these best-intentioned smokers could have negative effects on those around them — thanks to the toxic chemicals that linger on their clothes and are brought indoors.
