Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/249166
Although e-cigs are often marketed as safe and emitting only water vapor, research has found that the vapor may also contain heavy metals and cancer-causing chemicals. Additionally, nicotine levels in e-cigarettes may vary from very high to very low, regardless of labeling. Much more research is needed to know fully the long-term health effects of using e-cigarettes, and the FDA has not approved any e-cigarette for use as a quit-smoking device. Despite marketing messages, e-cigarettes cannot be used anywhere. In fact, King County Board of Health regulations restrict the sale of e-cigarettes to adults only and prohibit their use in public places and places of employment. (WAC House Rules also prohibit their use in the Clubhouse.) The World Health Organization, meanwhile, has expressed concern that e-cigs undermine smoking bans and FDA–approved medications to help people quit. Several countries, including Australia, China and Brazil, already have banned the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes. HOOKAH AND SHISHA Hookah is a water pipe used for smoking tobacco, marijuana, and other substances, including a tobacco-and-molasses mixture commonly referred to as shisha. The water pipe itself is usually larger than a handheld pipe and sits on the ground or a table and is often ornamental. A hookah may have one or more hoses attached to it with a mouthpiece at the end from which the user draws in smoke. Hookahs originated in ancient Persia and India and have been used extensively for approximately 400 years. Hookah is often smoked in a social setting with a group of friends gathered around a single pipe. Many hookah smokers believe that hookah use is safe. There is, however, much evidence to the contrary. Because of the mode of smoking—including frequency of puffing, depth of inhalation, and typical length of smoking sessions—hookah smokers may absorb higher concentrations of the toxins found in cigarette smoke. A typical one-hour hookah session can involve inhaling 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette. The charcoal often used to heat tobacco in hookah also increases the health risks by producing high levels of carbon monoxide, metals, and cancer-causing chemicals. Even after it has passed through water, the smoke produced by a hookah contains high levels of toxic compounds, including carbon monoxide, heavy metals, and cancer-causing chemicals. THE HOOKAH LOUNGE Hookah lounges, bars and cafés are establishments that rent hookah pipes by the hour and require patrons to be 18 years of age or older, providing a bar-like social scene for young people, including those under the age of 21. Currently, there are several hookah lounges in Washington state. Most of these operate in violation of the state's indoor smoking ban. There is no accepted safe level of use for either e-cigarettes or hookah. For anyone addicted to either, FDA–approved quit-smoking aids can help. The best way to quit nicotine addiction is to talk with your doctor, get medication to help, and find social support. Some nicotine-replacement therapies, such as patches and gum, are available over the counter, while others, such as Chantix and Bupropion, require a prescription. If you're a parent, talk to your children about the dangers of e-cigarettes and hookah. Tell them that they are not safe alternatives to smoking. If they need it, offer them support that will help them quit. Chances are you have already seen or heard e-cigarettes advertised, whether on the radio or in your local market. Your kids may already know more about them than you realize. Start a discussion, inform yourself, and empower your children to live healthy lives free of addiction. —The WAC Wellness Center offers smoking cessation assistance. See page 56 for details. " There is no accepted safe level of use for either e-cigarettes or hookah. For anyone addicted to either, FDA– approved quit-smoking aids can help." Michael Leon-Guerrero is a health educator for Public Health— Seattle and King County. Contact tobacco.prevention @kingcounty.gov. FEBRUARY / MARCH 2014 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | 27