Toxins love to get you while you're young. Lead, mercury, secondhand smoke and sundry other environmental nasties do a lot more damage when tissue is immature, vulnerable and growing than when it's mature and comparatively fixed.

Summary

This quote highlights the vulnerability of young individuals to the harmful effects of toxins. It suggests that toxins such as lead, mercury, and secondhand smoke have a greater impact on developing tissues than on mature ones. The quote implies that during the growth phase, tissues are more susceptible and easily affected by environmental hazards, which can cause significant damage. This emphasizes the importance of protecting young individuals from exposure to these toxins in order to prevent long-term health consequences.