title: Tobacco and cigarette butt consumption in humans and animals.
abstract: Discarded cigarette butts may present health risks to human infants and animals because of indiscriminate eating behaviours. Nicotine found in cigarette butts may cause vomiting and neurological toxicity; leachates of cigarette butts in aquatic environments may cause exposure to additional toxic chemicals including heavy metals, ethyl phenol and pesticide residues. This report reviews published and grey literature regarding cigarette butt waste consumption by children, pets and wildlife. Although reports of human and animal exposures number in the tens of thousands, severe toxic outcomes due to butt consumption are rare. Nonetheless, the ubiquity of cigarette butt waste and its potential for adverse effects on human and animal health warrants additional research and policy interventions to reduce the stream of these pollutants in the environment.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, Hardy Tower 119, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92186, USA. tnovotny@mail.sdsu.edu
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Novotny
authors.forename: Sarah N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Hardin
authors.forename: Lynn R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Hovda
authors.forename: Dale J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Novotny
authors.forename: Mary Kay
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.forename: Safdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006256:Hazardous Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000009:adverse effects; D057805:Pets; D010636:Phenols / Q000009:adverse effects; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking; D014876:Water Pollution; D062789:Tobacco Products
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006256:Hazardous Waste; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D010636:Phenols; D009538:Nicotine