Cigarette butts give off toxic emissions, even when extinguished

The US-based National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently published the results of a study they conducted, which quantified the emissions from an extinguished cigarette butt. The study found that a cold, used cigarette butt can emit the equivalent of 14% of the nicotine that a burning cigarette emits. This amount increases in warm enclosed spaces such as when butts are stored in a car ashtray. 

Results suggest that cold butt emissions can increase the risk of severe health conditions especially in children. Researchers recommend smokers store their used butts in a sealed glass or metal container with sand. 

Find out more information in this article from the NIST.