‘Enter at your own risk’: a multimethod study of air quality and biological measures in Canadian waterpipe cafes

Zhang, Bo; Haji, Farzana; Kaufman, Pamela; Muir, Sarah M.; Ferrence, Roberta

doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051180

Cited by 34 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 35 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In the case of WP, the literature tried to link the WP with lung cancer about 50 years ago [27] and accumulating evidence, especially from regions where WP is endemic, has linked WP smoking with diseases that are known the be caused by tobacco use [11]. Additionally, recent studies conducted in North America regarding the contents analysis of the products used in WP, the volume and the content of smoke produced in a WP smoking session, and the impact on air quality in places where either tobacco or tobacco-free products were smoked [15,34,5,29]. All provide a strong base for a plausible inference that the chronic use of such products may well have a serious impact on the users health in the future.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Knowledge About the Waterpipe (Hookah), a Qualitative Assessment Among Community Workers in a Major Urban Center in Canada

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Waterpipe (WP) use has surged in popularity since the introduction of flavoured shisha. It is now an increasingly popular form of smoking among youth in North America. Health professionals/educators knowledge about the WP may well be inadequate. This study, using qualitative methods, sought to explore the knowledge and attitude of leaders in the community toward the WP. Family physicians, pharmacists, tobacco counsellors, social workers and educators were invited to participate in a one-one interview using open-ended questions. A total of 27 interviews were conducted. Individuals from Eastern Mediterranean backgrounds raised doubt about the overemphasised cultural significance of the WP and perceived this as a marketing strategy by industry. Most felt that WP smokers believed the WP to be less harmful than cigarettes and that the use of flavoured tobacco was motivating people to smoke. Participants believed that education should be directed at the general public and healthcare professionals, suggesting school programs and the use of social media to inform young smokers. Most thought that the current practices regarding packaging and second hand smoke exposure are confusing. They identified the lack of knowledge, poor enforcement procedures, "so called cultural aspects" and the economic impact of banning the WP on small businesses as barriers to change. Despite the awareness of an increase in WP use, our participants recognized that little has been done to curb this problem. Our findings emphasize the need for further education and better legislation to regulate WP use and availability.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Knowledge About the Waterpipe (Hookah), a Qualitative Assessment Among Community Workers in a Major Urban Center in Canada

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Cobb et al 22 measured PM 2.5 among 17 WP cafes in Virginia, USA and found very similar levels to those reported here (mean 374 μg/m 3 ). In Toronto, Canada, a mean particulate level of 1419 μg/m 3 was found in 12 indoor venues in which WP smoking was observed 33. Moreover, Hammal et al 34 observed mean indoor PM 2.5 levels of 264 μg/m 3 arising from the use of tobacco-free ‘herbal’ WP products.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Secondhand smoke emission levels in waterpipe cafes in Doha, Qatar

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…After hookah lounge event, urinary SPMA levels increased 4.2 times among hookah smokers and increased 2.6 times among non-smokers (Table 4). Four studies have shown that indoor air quality levels in hookah lounges are hazardous to human health focusing on air nicotine, PM 2.5, and ambient carbon monoxide (CO); however, benzene levels were not measured in these studies (15,21), (22,59). Future studies aiming to assess the quality of indoor air in hookah lounges are encouraged to include benzene as a constituent of hookah tobacco SHS.…”

Section: Percent Of Non-smokers Time Spent In Minutesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Owners of hookah lounges often advertise via the internet alluding to an atmosphere that is pleasurable, relaxed, and entertaining, indicating at times that hookah smoking is safer than cigarette smoking (19). However, studies have shown that patrons of hookah lounges are exposed to indoor air quality levels considered hazardous to human health (15,21,22). High mean levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution, a marker for tobacco smoke, were detected in indoor hookah smoking venues in the United States, Canada, and Pakistan (374 mg/m 15,21,22).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, studies have shown that patrons of hookah lounges are exposed to indoor air quality levels considered hazardous to human health (15,21,22). High mean levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution, a marker for tobacco smoke, were detected in indoor hookah smoking venues in the United States, Canada, and Pakistan (374 mg/m 15,21,22). These PM2.5 concentrations were well above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for air quality standards that identified that average annual levels in excess of 12 mg/m 3 , or daily exposure in excess of 35 mg/m 3 , pose health risks (23).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Benzene Uptake in Hookah Smokers and Non-smokers Attending Hookah Social Events: Regulatory Implications

Kassem

Jackson

Liles

et al. 2014

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers &Amp; Prevention

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Benzene is a human hematotoxicant and a leukemogen that causes lymphohematopoietic cancers, especially acute myelogenous leukemia. We investigated uptake of benzene in hookah smokers and non-smokers attending hookah social events in naturalistic settings where hookah tobacco was smoked exclusively.Methods: We quantified S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA), a metabolite of benzene, in the urine of 105 hookah smokers and 103 non-smokers. Participants provided spot urine samples the morning of and the morning after attending an indoor hookah-only smoking social event at a hookah lounge or in a private home.Results: Urinary SPMA levels in hookah smokers increased significantly following a hookah social event (P < 0.001). This increase was 4.2 times higher after hookah lounge events (P < 0.001) and 1.9 times higher after home events (P ¼ 0.003). In non-smokers, urinary SPMA levels increased 2.6 times after hookah lounge events (P ¼ 0.055); however, similar urinary SPMA levels were detected before and after home events, possibly indicating chronic exposure to benzene (P ¼ 0.933).Conclusions: Our data provide the first evidence for uptake of benzene in hookah smokers and non-smokers exposed to hookah tobacco secondhand smoke at social events in private homes compared with their counterparts in hookah lounges. Hookah tobacco smoke is a source of benzene exposure, a risk factor for leukemia.Impact: Because there is no safe level of exposure to benzene, our results call for interventions to reduce or prevent hookah tobacco use, regulatory actions to limit hookah-related exposure to toxicants including benzene, initiate labeling of hookah-related products, and include hookah smoking in clean indoor air legislation. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(12); 2793-809. Ó2014 AACR.

show abstract

‘Enter at your own risk’: a multimethod study of air quality and biological measures in Canadian waterpipe cafes

Abstract: Staff and patrons of waterpipe cafes are exposed to air quality levels considered hazardous to human health. Results support eliminating waterpipe smoking in hospitality venues indoors and out.

Cited by 34 publications

References 35 publications

Knowledge About the Waterpipe (Hookah), a Qualitative Assessment Among Community Workers in a Major Urban Center in Canada

Knowledge About the Waterpipe (Hookah), a Qualitative Assessment Among Community Workers in a Major Urban Center in Canada

Secondhand smoke emission levels in waterpipe cafes in Doha, Qatar

Benzene Uptake in Hookah Smokers and Non-smokers Attending Hookah Social Events: Regulatory Implications

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About