Cigarette use is slowly becoming less visible, but other kinds of tobacco products are starting to take their place, especially among younger people.
Dissolvable
Dissolvable tobacco is a smoke-free and spit-free tobacco product. Unlike ordinary chewing tobacco, it dissolves in the mouth.
Camel’s line of dissolvable tobacco products come in 3 forms.
- Pellets look similar to small breath mint and dissolve in the mouth in 10–15 minutes.
- Sticks are for insertion between the upper lip and gum and last in the mouth about 20–30 minutes.
- Strips last 2–3 minutes on the tongue, administering nicotine through thin film drug delivery technology as used in breath freshening strips.
There are serious public health concerns regarding these products.
A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control on unintentional child poisonings from ingestion of tobacco products assessed the toxicity of the new Camel Orbs, which “are of concern due to their discreet form, candy-like appearance, and added flavorings that may be attractive to young children.”
Hookah
Hookahs are glass or metal water pipes. 16th century physicians claimed that smoke should be first passed through a small receptacle of water so that it would be rendered harmless. This theory is reinforced today leading to many misbeliefs. Hookah smoking is increasing popular among underage youth and young adults exposing them to tobacco use and secondhand smoke. Many of these young people do not think that hookah smoke is as harmful or addictive as cigarette smoke.
There are more than 35 hookah bars in San Diego County; many are located near colleges, universities and high schools.
HOW DOES A HOOKAH WORK?
A hookah is used to smoke a specially made tobacco, shisha, by indirectly heating the tobacco, usually with burning embers or charcoal. The smoke is filtered through a bowl of water (sometimes mixed with other liquids such as wine) and then drawn through a rubber hose to a mouthpiece.
WHAT IS IN HOOKAH SMOKE?
- Compounds found in hookah smoke are carbon monoxide (CO), tar, myriad carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), arsenic, nickel, cobalt, chromium, lead and cadmium.
- The CO-to-Nicotine ratio in hookah smoke is 50:1 that for cigarette smoke is 16:1.
- The duration of a single puff of hookah smoke is double that of a cigarette and the suction pressure for inhalation of hookah smoke is four times that for a cigarette therefore hookah smoke reaches deeper into the lung tissue.
- Studies have reported that a 1-hour hookah session is equal to smoking 100 cigarettes.
HEALTH RISKS
- Coronary heart disease
- Adverse pulmonary effects
- Cancer of the lungs, mouth and bladder
- Infertility in females & sterility in males
- Low birth weight and birth defects in babies born to smoking mothers
- Increase risk of communicable diseases (hepatitis, herpes and tuberculosis)
RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE
World Health Organization – TobReg Advisory Note Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: Health Effects, Research Needs and Recommended Actions by Regulators
American Lung Association – Tobacco Policy Trend Alert –An Emerging Deadly Trend: Waterpipe Tobacco Use
California Department of Public Health – Hookah Tobacco is Unsafe
Smokeless
The two main types of smokeless tobacco in the United States are chewing tobacco and snus. Smokeless tobacco is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco use can cause cancer, oral health problems, and nicotine addiction.
Snus is a moist powder tobacco product, consumed by placing it under the lip for extended periods of time.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Smokeless Tobacco Fact Sheet