Re-smoking discarded cigarettes is surprisingly common in areas of deprivation - a recent study led by London South Bank University (LSBU) found that nearly half of smokers experiencing homelessness reported doing so. This raises public health concerns, as scavenged butts may carry pathogenic bacteria and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes - yet the risks remain poorly understood.

My project at UCL Centre for Clinical Microbiology aimed to highlight the risks of re-smoking discarded cigarettes and unintentional exposure to AMR genes.