How much junk do you think you inhale while you're driving around, stuck in traffic?

A fair amount of carbon monoxide, which reversibly binds to various oxygen-binding proteins, but below a threshold the off rate clears it out of your system soon enough. That experience is harmless long-term, though it could trigger asthma/etc. and generally isn't pleasureable. A fair amount of incinerated material that was fairly pure to begin with, burnt at a high temperature, and passed through a catalytic converter. Some NOx and SOx, which may trigger allergies or do environmental harm, but aren't cancer threats. Some particulate matter, which your lungs do clear efficiently.

How much do you think you inhale when you're out camping by an open fire?

Leafy green matter in the fire? Probably not good. I don't camp, though. Charcoal? See above-- primarily carbon monoxide and particulates.

Burnt meat or veggies? Low doses of potentially bad stuff. I err on the side of rare for flavor reasons, but it means I'm taking more chances with food poisoning and less with that.

How much do you inhale when you're spraypainting something, or cleaning your house?

If I'm spraypainting, very little, because I'm wearing a disposable mask. If I'm cleaning my house, I'm primarily inhaling detergent/surfactant aerosols and solvents (ammonia, etc.) that don't scare me. Household cleaners have to pass a reasonably tight standard of carcinogenicity to get approved, particularly because they're expected to be used in areas with children.

Now how much do you think you inhale casually walking past someone who is smoking on a street corner?

A low dose of incompletely burned natural product, relatively high in chemicals I don't want anywhere near my lungs, because they've been proven to cause cancer in low doses. Being outdoors mitigates that dosage considerably, so it doesn't bother me much. Indoors? Different story. I wouldn't run my barbecue or start a campfire indoors either.

Smoke isn't smoke isn't smoke.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com