sportiani» (Observer
December 29, 2010
Teens Smoking More
Hookah Tobacco
Page 9
Hodge Comprehensive Counseling Service
Portland Congross Cantor
1001 2 W Fifth A vwmm . Sto 1100, Portland. Oregon 9 7 2 0 4
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Study suggests
dangers are
overlooked
A new study indicates that
hookah tobacco smoking among
Oregon teen-agers is on the rise,
due in part to a proliferation of
hookah lounges that may be tar­
geting young people with candy-
and cocktail-flavored tobacco,
online marketing and a party at­
mosphere.
Officials at the Oregon Public
Health D ivision, which con­
ducted the 2010 Indoor Clean
Air Act Compliance Study, worry
that the increasing popularity of
hookah will reverse gains made
during the last decade in the
effort to reduce tobacco use
among young people.
"The popularity of hookah
smoking that we've seen among
young people is putting us in a
one-step-forw ard, tw o-steps-
back situation in the battle against
tobacco use," said Dr. Katrina
Hedberg of the state's Office of
Disease Prevention and Epide­
miology.
"We believe teen-agers are
turning their attention to hookah
because they think it's a glamor­
ous and safe alternative to ciga­
rettes. It's not. Hookah could be
creating a whole new culture of
young people who get together
to smoke tobacco," Hedberg said.
Hookah tobacco - or shisha -
is addictive, contains nicotine and
can cause lung cancer, heart
disease and other complications,
just like cigarettes. Burning char­
Dr. H. L Hodg®. Ph.D.
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Hookah lounges that use exotic pipes to burn tobacco are a
growing health concern because Hookah smoke contains danger­
ous levels o f cancer-causing chemicals and toxic gases.
coal in the pipe creates addi­
tional risks, little is known about
the health effects of smoking
added flavorings.
Hookah pipes produce much
more sm oke than cigarettes.
Hookah smoke contains danger­
ous levels o f cancer-causing
chemicals and toxic gases, such
as carbon monoxide, posing a
health hazard to smokers and
lounge em ployees alike. The
study found that the air in hoo­
kah lounges ranged from "un­
healthy" at best to "hazardous"
at worst.
Hookah lounges are required
by law to prohibit access by
minors younger than 18, but youth
interview s and observational
studies by Oregon Public Health
Division officials indicate minors
have little trouble gaining entry.
In addition, many coffee shops
and restaurants feature hookah
smoking on their patios, and hoo­
kahs are increasingly available
for purchase. Youth in the study
said hookahs are a common fix­
ture at parties and friends' homes.
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Diabetics Test Strips Recalled
(AP) - Abbott Laboratories is recalling up to 359
million testing strips used by diabetics because they
can give falsely low blood sugar readings.
The testing strips are used to help diabetes patients
check their blood sugar levels. But the Food and Drug
Administration says the products being recalled by
Abbott can give inaccurately low measurements. As
a result, patients may try to raise their blood sugar
levels unnecessarily or fail to detect dangerously high
blood sugar levels.
The FDA said the problems are caused by a defect
that limits the amount of blood absorbed by each strip.
Abbott is recalling 359 lots marketed under a half-
dozen brand names, including: Precision Xceed Pro,
Precision Xtra, Medisense Optium, Optium, OptiumEZ
and ReliOn Ultima.
Abbott said it will replace the affected test strips at
no charge.
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