Video:

The Myth
I use an air freshener to make the air clean after I smoke. If you can’t smell the smoke in the air, then it’s gone, right?

The Truth
Many of the dangerous chemicals found in smoke have no odor, so it’s hard to tell if they’re in the air. These chemicals can stay in the air for up to three hours after a cigarette is put out, and they can stick to fabrics like clothes, furniture, and carpet for weeks. Trying to cover up the odor of secondhand smoke with an air freshener doesn’t help either.

Even if someone can't smell secondhand smoke, they may still be breathing its poisonous toxins. Putting out a cigarette before kids get home doesn't actually protect them from being exposed to the chemicals in secondhand smoke. The only way to protect kids from secondhand smoke is to always smoke outside the home and outside the car.