8. Effects on other animals
Smoking cigarettes has been tied to the increase of cancer in household animals like cats and dogs. In fact, cats, dogs, squirrels, birds and others are highly affected by second-hand smoke, but mainly nicotine poisoning. For canines and felines, nicotine reaches toxic levels within one to five cigarettes. This may cause them to vomit, hyper-salivate, experience tremors, among other health concerns depending on their contact with smoke, or butts.
In urban environments, cigarette butt littering is a problem with small animals that think of it as food, and whether or not it is consumed, contact with the butt, which is the filter containing tar and toxins like ammonia, turpentine and benzene, can lead to many unhealthy consequences.
Due to butt littering in waterways, fish and dolphins are highly affected. One soaking butt can kill half the fish in a liter of water.
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