There is nothing that hurts my feelings more than being at a place whether outdoors or indoors (yep, it happens) and someone starts smoking in my proximity. The amount of nausea I get is a literal pain.
For some, the scent of tobacco is a nostalgic memory, but for others, it’s an instant trigger for nausea. Have you ever wondered why the smell of cigarette smoke makes you queasy while others barely notice it? Whether you’re repulsed by secondhand smoke or just curious about the connection, let’s explore the surprising reasons behind this gut reaction.
Second-hand smoke, as explained by the World Health Organisation, is a blend of cigarette and smoker’s smoke, that contaminates the air, causing lung cancer and coronary heart disease. It is claimed to affect both smokers and non-smokers, causing 600,000 premature deaths annually, with 64% of these occurring among women.
According to a study conducted by the Endocrine Abstracts, nausea and vomiting induced by smoke inhalation are common, possibly due to the tachykinins family of bioactive peptides. In humans, it is stated that four members, substance P (SP), endokinin (EK), neurokinin A, and neurokinin B, signal through NK1-3Rs.
“A non-smoker’s plasma concentration of EK41 was 16 pg/ml but increased 29-fold to 466 pg/ml 10 min after inhalation of smoke; nausea was experienced two hours later, with levels of EK-41 then at 155 pg/ml.”
The Cleveland Clinic advises that to avoid secondhand smoke exposure, you need to stay away from smoking-friendly areas and spaces, and open windows and air filters to help lower toxins from tobacco burning. It is further advised that you ask people not to smoke in your car or home.
“Remember, the only way to completely protect yourself is to stay far away from people who are smoking.”
