Den of Deception: Misleading Youth in Northampton

Wednesday proved to be a battleground in Northampton, MA where a debate over the possibility of a hookah bar continued. While bars of this type are currently prohibited in Northampton, three entrepreneurs hope to gain the necessary approval to open “The Den.”

Hookah bars have become increasingly popular among young adults, yet few understand the grave nature of this hobby. According to Massachusetts Health Officer Sarah McColgan, the amount of nicotine delivered in one hookah session is equivalent to five packs of cigarettes. Not only does the smoking of hookah harm the lungs, but patrons would be at a great risk for addiction.

The debate over a possible hookah bar has been ongoing in Northampton. The Den was provided with a conditional permit in April by the Board of Health, in which the bar’s construction would be approved providing that adequate ventilation was included in all building plans. Further, the city’s smoking regulations would need to be adjusted in order for The Den to open.
Conflict persisted in a May meeting regarding The Den’s construction. At that particular Board of Health meeting, Dr. Suzanne Smith was distraught over the lack of cooperation which the owners provided in meeting the city’s building requirements; “What has been presented to the board is evidence that you are going to have a ventilation system, but does not see any evidence that this ventilation system has been proven, in other locations or that this capacity is adequate for smoking.”

The absence of an adequate ventilation system not only puts patrons and employees of the hookah bar at risk for second hand smoke exposure, but also other Northampton residents. While public health officials are distraught over the possible hookah bar, there are other stakeholders within the community. Second hand smoke is a major concern for the owners of the Firefly Salon, whose business resides upstairs of The Den’s proposed location. At the Wednesday Board of Health meeting, the owners expressed their fear that the presence of second hand smoke, regardless of any ventilation system, would hurt their business. The owners of the Firefly Salon, which is above The Den at 122 Main St., told the board that second-hand smoke would put their business at risk.

This controversy surrounding hookah bars is occurring across the country. Specifically appealing to young adults though their low cost and availability, the increasing number of hookah bars is creating a new generation of smokers. While the public is aware of the risks that accompany cigarette and cigar smoking, most falsely believe that smoking hookah is safer. This is completely untrue. Not only is a hookah smoker at risk for addiction to tobacco, studies have indicated that after 45 minutes of use, a hookah user experiences elevated heart rate, carbon monoxide expiration, and plasma nicotine concentration.

Given that most hookah smokers have also reported smoking cigarettes, the health effects of hookah are not clear. Smoking hookah is most likely implicated in increasing one’s risk of bronchial, lung, oral, and bladder cancer. Additionally, increased rates of atherosclerosis and heart disease and decreased lung function have been reported by past and present hookah smokers. The social atmosphere promoted by hookah bars and the sharing of mouth pieces provide a breading ground for tuberculosis, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases.

Future educational campaigns regarding the dangers of smoking hookah might serve to decrease the number of new smokers. Until that time the alluring and deceptive atmosphere of The Den and other hookah bars is likely to prey on America’s youth and their healthy lungs.

(Sources: The Republican 11/12/08, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids)

Smoking Ban Saves 577 Lives per Year

Fatal heart attacks drop is linked to Smoke-Free Workplace law

Massachusetts implemented the Smoke-Free Workplace Law in July of 2004, with the goal of reducing the negative health effects of secondhand smoke. The law banned smoking in public and private workplaces, including restaurants and bars, in all 351 Massachusetts towns and cities. A study done by the Department of Public Health and the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that the ban is achieving its goal, as 577 fewer Massachusetts residents have suffered fatal heart attacks annually since the implementation.

John Auerbach, the state public health commissioner, said "People have assumed that the only benefit we will be able to measure of a smoking ban is long-term benefits….This study demonstrates a real connection between smoking bans and short-term improvement in health outcomes."

Prior to the Smoke-Free Workplace Law, 100 (29%) towns in Massachusetts had no workplace smoking restrictions and 193 (55%) had weak restrictions. Between 2003 and 2006, heart attack deaths plummeted 30%. The study found that the towns with no or weak smoking restrictions saw a 17% and 18% drop in heart attack fatalities, respectively, one year after the state law went into effect. The 15% of towns that already had a ban similar to the state ban saw no significant change in heart attack fatalities, indicating that the local ban was already having the desired outcome in those towns. The study concludes that it is likely that reduced exposure to secondhand smoke had a significant effect in reducing heart attack deaths.

Dr. Michael Siegel, a Boston University School of Public Health specialist in tobacco control, said "This is the strongest study yet done of the effect of smoking bans on heart attacks…. You can no longer argue that these declines would have occurred simply due to medical treatment."

Other negative health outcomes frequently associated with secondhand smoke include asthma, COPD, and cancer. It will be interesting to look at the incidence data for these diseases to determine if the trend in heart attack fatalities is reflected for them as well. Changes in the incidence of lung cancer will likely not be seen for some time due to the long-latency period for cancer.

San Francisco Keeps Deadly Drug Out of Pharmacies

Beginning October 1, San Francisco has become the first city to ban the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in all 60 of its drug stores.

Not too happy with the recent legislation, Philip Morris has attempted to reverse the ban, arguing that this is a violation of freedom of speech as it interferes with tobacco advertising in pharmacies. The city however was not sympathetic to the plea, as no restriction on Philip Morris’ advertising was imposed. Restrictions on the sale of tobacco products do not fall under the jurisdiction of free speech.
Untouched by the legislation are supermarkets and retail stores which contain pharmacies. As a result, Walgreens has filed a separate suit in San Francisco Superior Court on the basis that the ban discriminates against drug stores and is unconstitutional. This plea has also been denied as the city argues that a ban on the sale of tobacco products by businesses which are established to promote health, such as pharmacies, is justified.

A victory for tobacco legislation in San Francisco! Hopefully cities which are in the process of instituting similar bans on the sale of tobacco products, such as Boston, will be prepared to meet the resistance from Philip Morris and Walgreens when their turn comes.

(Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 11/7/08)