Exam 1 Flashcards
contaminant vs. pollutant
Contaminants - anything added to the environment that causes a deviation from the average composition that a particular phase of environment would have in the absence of human activity
We call contaminants pollutants when they adversely affect something we value, and is present in high enough concentration to do so.
What is the 1970 U.S. Clean Air Act?
Air quality criteria documents (books) that provide a summary of what is known about:
1. Sulfur oxides
2. Particulates
3. Oxidants
4. Carbon monoxide
5. Hydrocarbons (VOCs)
6. Nitrogen oxides
Why should we care about global warming?
Global warming will have an overwhelming negative impact on human and ecological life:
1. Rise in sea level
- extinctions of species
- spread of disease
2. Extreme weather patterns
- harm ozone layer
- extreme storms
- droughts
- fires
Describe the history of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as a pollutant
Until 35 years ago, the goal was to break down pollutants to carbon dioxide; it was not a pollutant itself
Now, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and is our most concerning pollutant due to global warming and climate change
How has COVID-19 impacted air pollution?
The COVID-19 lockdown has led to cleaner air, but will do little to address the issue of air pollution in the long run.
People living with poor air quality may be more susceptible to COVID.
What groups are at the greatest risk for air pollution?
Describe the air pollution problem before the Industrial Revolution
Chimneys were a major problem, with many complaining. In 1273, English Parliament passed a law - “don’t burn peat while in session, burn coal instead.”
Metallurgy, ceramics, and preservation of animal products in the bronze and iron ages led to bad air.
Smoke and ash from burning fossil fuels and coal by powerplants, trains, and ships in 18th and 19th centuries.
British Parliament studies in the 19th century recognized that there was lots of dirty air, but nothing was done about it.
Describe the Smoke Abatement Era in the U.S. (1880-1940s)
Initially there were no penalties for violations, but smoke abatement ordinances with penalties were prevalent starting in 1940s.
There was a shift from coal to natural gas, accompanied by the belief that natural gas = clean fuel (which was partially true, gas > coal)
What is the Meuse Valley, Belgium, incident (1930), and what were its effects?
This was the first modern air pollution disaster. In the densely populated, highly industrialized river valley, industrial pollutants combined with thermal temperature inversion to create a highly dangerous fog. The Meuse Valley’s natural geography amplified the effect of temperature inversion, effectively trapping the polluted air close to the ground.
Note: this is very similar to the Donora, PA, incident in 1948.
Pollution by:
- SO2, sulfur dioxide
- H2O
- SO4, sulfuric acid mist
Impact:
- 63 deaths (mostly elderly)
- Sore throats, shortness of breath, cough, phlegm, nausea, vomiting
- Cattle, birds, and rats died
- Received little news coverage
What is a temperature inversion?
a temperature inversion occurs when a layer of warm air traps cooler air near the ground, preventing pollutants from dispersing upward, effectively trapping them
Example: Meuse Valley, Donora, Poza Rico, London incidents
What is the Donora, Pennsylvania, incident (1948), and what were its effects?
In the Monongahela River Valley in October 1948, industrial pollutants combined with a temperature inversion to trap fog for 4.5 days. The industrial town + steep hills surrounding the valley amplified this effect.
Note: this is very similar to the Meuse Valley, Belgium, incident in 1930.
The air reeked of sulfur dioxide and the fog was a motionless, dense smoke. The smell in Donora is normal, but this time it was much more extreme.
Pollutants:
- Sulfur gases + particulates
- SO4, sulfuric acid mist
Impact:
- 6000/14000 people ill
- 20 deaths
- U.S. public health service called in - first time air pollution was recognized as public health problem
What is the Poza Rico, Mexico, incident (1950), and what were its effects?
High sulfur crude oil released hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and a temperature inversion in the valley trapped the H2S as a pollutant.
Impact:
- 22 sudden deaths
- 320 hospitalized (all ages)
What is the Great London Smog (1952), and what were its effects?
In Dec 1952 - Factories and power plants in London burned coal, and these pollutants combined with a cold front led to a hazardous temperature inversion resulting in “5 days of the worst smog the city had ever seen.” Pollution levels were 5-19x above current regulatory standards.
Impact:
- ~12,000 deaths
- Much lung and heart disease
- Rise in smoke associated w/ rise in deaths
- New studies found particulates in 1952 lungs
- Public transportation stopped
- Concerts cancelled (people couldn’t see the stage)
What is the Worldwide Air Pollution Episode?
November 27-December 10, 1962 - thousands of deaths in many cities including NYC, London, Boston, and Paris.
Oct-Nov 1958 - many asthma deaths in New Orleans
What is the Seveso, Italy, incident (1976), and what were its effects?
On July 10, 1976, north of Milan, Italy, in Seveso, a valve broke at a chemical plant, releasing a cloud of Dioxin (TCDD) that traveled southwest through Seveso toward Milan.
Dioxin is a contaminant of herbicide (Agent Orange).
Impact:
- 38k people exposed
- 4% of farm animals dropped dead
- 80k animals killed
- Italian government covered it up
What is Dioxin (TCDD)?
contaminant of herbicide (Agent Orange) that can cause a slew of symptoms including liver necrosis, GI bleeding, and ulcers
Dioxin was the pollutant in the Seveso, Italy, incident of 1976.
What is the Bhopal, India, incident (1984), and what were its effects?
On Dec 3, 1984, pesticide plant leak releases Methyl isocyanate (MIC), an irritant to the lungs that causes edema and bronchospasms. Labeled as the “worst industrial accident in history.”
Impact:
- 2,000 deaths
- 350k injured
- 100k permanently disabled
What is MIC?
Methyl isocyanate (MIC) is a lung irritant formed from phosgene + methylamine that causes edema and bronchospasms.
MIC was the main pollutant in the Bhopal, India, incident of 1984.
7 similarities among prominent air pollution disasters
- Winter months
- Dense population
- Heavy industrialization
- Often in a valley
- Temperature inversion
- Stagnant air
- Accident, or mixtures from non-accidents
What is the Asian Brown Cloud?
a large atmospheric brown cloud that occurs annually over Asia during the winter as a result of aerosol pollution
risk assessment vs. risk management
Risk assessment - the use of research to define the probability of some harm as a result of exposure to a substance or situation
Risk management - the public process of deciding what to do where risk has been determined to exist
What are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)?
-mixtures of up to 209 indiviudal chlorinated compounds; PCBs are a fat-soluble, water-insoluble hydrocarbon containing 1 to 10 chlorine atoms
- either oily liquids or solids, colorless, no smell/taste
- carcinogenic to humans
3 components of risk assessment
- Hazard identification
- Dose-response assessment
- What is the relationship between dose and incidence in humans? - Exposure assessment
- What exposures are currently experienced or anticipated under different conditions?
What is epidemiology?
the study of the distribution and causes of health and illness in human populations using observational data
the “patient” of epidemiologists is the population
What is environmental epidemiology?
branch of epidemiology that asks: “Is a given exposure hazardous to human health?”
In what way was 9/11 an air pollution disaster?
Asbestos in NYC skyscrapers led to elevated deaths in NYC post 9/11; it penetrated the masks of first responders
The extent of the disaster was so severe that many developed respiratory and pulmonary problems and cancer, leading to the creation of the World Trade Center Health Program for those affected.
How did the EPA mislead the public on 9/11 information?
The White House ordered false assurances on air quality, using light microscopy (a poor detector of asbestos) when surveying NYC
Was there asbestos in the World Trade Center?
Yes, 5000 tons in lower 40 floors of North Tower. Builders said asbestos would prevent “towering inferno” and help keep buildings standing.
This introduced a major issue during 9/11 due to asbestos pollution in the air.
What is the World Trade Center Health Program?
federal health program that provides no-cost medical care for certified WTC-related health conditions to those directly affected by 9/11
What is toxicology?
The study of harmful actions of chemicals on biological tissue; the study of poisons
What is the impact of 9/11 on cancer?
The WTC Health Program reported elevations in all cancer sites combined, including prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and leukemia
What is the Paracelcus view of poisons (dose response)?
“All things are poisons, for there is nothing without poisonous qualities. It is only the dose which makes a thing a poison.”
How do we interpret a dose-response curve?
things that work at a lower dose are more toxic (lower LD50)
4 problems in extrapolating dose response information from animals to man
- Species differences in susceptibility
- Interactions with other exposures
- Latent period
- Low dose problem
measuring risk vs. judging safety
Measuring risk - calculating the probability and severity of public health harm; it is an empirical scientific activity
Judging safety - judging the safety of risks; is a normative, political, economical, and value laden activity
What is de minimus with regard to epidemiology?
idea that there is an acceptable small amount of each substance (never zero); there is also no such thing as zero risk, its simply dose dependent
Example: EPA and FDA acceptable lifetime cancer risk (de minimus) is one in a million
What is the precautionary principle?
“When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically”
What is the basic premise of epidemiology?
Disease occurrence (or its outcome) is NOT random, but can vary depending on a variety of characteristics and predisposing factors.
What is an incubation period?
time between exposure to an infectious agent and onset of symptoms; typical for each infectious disease but varies depending on dose, route, replication rate, host responses
Note: same as latent period, but latent period is for non-infectious ailments (e.g., cancer, heart disease) and has no multiplicative causative agent
What is a latent period?
Time between non-infectious (e.g., cancer, heart disease) disease acquisition and onset of symptoms; typical for each disease but varies depending on type of disease, etc.
No multiplication of causative agent is involved, rather multiple low-dose exposures (some chemicals).
Note: same as incubation period, but incubation period is for infectious ailments (e.g., caused by viruses) and has a multiplicative causative agent
What is descriptive epidemiology, and what is its purpose?
the person, place, and time of disease occurrence, tracking what is going on in the world, nation, state, community
Purpose:
1. Helps form etiologic (what is causing) hypotheses
2. Helps form public health policy
What is an epidemic?
the occurrence in a community or region of cases of an illness or health-related event clearly in excess of normal expectancy
What is the #1 cause of death?
Heart disease
What are DALYs and QALYs?
Disability Adjusted Life-Years and Quality Adjusted Life-Years; both are attempts to express burden of a disease in a single quantification (higher DALYs = greater burden)
How is disease prevalence rate calculated?
Prevalence rate = (# of cases of disease in population at a specified time)/(# of persons in the population at that specified time)
How is disease incidence rate calculated?
Incidence rate = (# of new cases of a disease in population during a specified period of time)/(# of persons exposed to risk of developing the disease during that period of time)
How has cause of death changed over time?
In 1900, the leading causes of death were mainly infectious diseases like influenza and TB
In 1970, the leading cause of death was heart disease, with infectious disease mortality significantly decreasing
What is peculiar about the U.S. cancer epidemic?
the cancer epidemic was arguably just a lung cancer epidemic, with a major spike in lung cancer prevalence due to cigarettes; the prevalence of other cancers has also changed but not to the same extent
What is a neoplasm?
autonomous growth of tissue that has escaped the normal restraints on cell proliferation; usually appears as a tumor made of mass of cells and are generally irreversible
AKA “abnormal growth of cells” or “unlimited growth of cells”
A malignant neoplasm is cancer
What is cancer?
the malignant unrestrained proliferation of somatic cells (cells other than germ/reproductive cells); i.e., a malignant neoplasm
What is invasion (RE: cancer)?
malignant tumors (cancer) are capable of invasion, which is the spread of the neoplasms into adjacent structures
What is metastasis (RE: cancer)?
malignant tumors (cancer) are capable of metastasis, which is the implantation of the neoplasms into noncontiguous sites
How does the lung cancer epidemic compare in males vs. females?
epidemic of lung cancer in males was much greater than that of females, likely due to heightened smoking rates among men
2 possible reasons for changes in mortality trends over time
- Artifactual
- errors in the numerator or denominator during calculation - Real
- changes in demographics, survivorship, or disease incidence
People hypothesize artifactual, but the reality is likely real
What is the Agent-Host-Environment model?
triad model used to understand the dynamics of infectious disease transmission and propagation that is based on the interactions of the agent (pathogen or poison), host, and environment
How do death rate and incidence rate compare between males and females?
Males always die at higher rates than females, even in the womb…however, females have higher condition incidence rate (report more sickness)
How does death rate compare on the basis of race?
Non-whites have greater maternal mortality rates than whites in the U.S.
How have stomach cancer incidence/death rates changed over time?
Stomach cancer used to be very prevalent in the 1950s, but now it is rare; we don’t know why rates used to be higher than they are now
What are retrospective and prospective studies?
Retrospective - study looking for past exposure to a factor
Prospective - study that classifies exposure to a factor then follows cohort to see if disease develops
descriptive vs. analytic epidemiology studies
Descriptive:
- Mortality
- Morbidity
Analytic:
- Case-control
- Cohort (historical for occupation)
- Clinical trials
5 weaknesses of indirect studies
- Possibility of indirect association (e.g., alcohol —> stomach cancer is flawed b/c not direct study)
- Interpretation of negative results
- Often look at agents one at a time
- Comparability of data by place and time
- Mobility problem
Why can’t we say that alcohol causes stomach cancer even though Wisconsin has highest rates of both alcohol consumption and stomach cancer?
It’s an indirect association, which cannot assess causality
What is air pollution?
the presence in the air (outdoor atmosphere) of one or more contaminants or combinations thereof in such quantities and of such durations as may be or tend to be injurious to human, animal, or plant life, or property, or which unreasonably interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property or conduct of business
Of clean, dry air, what is the air made of? (GUARANTEED TEST QUESTION)
~80% nitrogen and ~20% oxygen
Of clean, dry air, what percent is carbon dioxide?
0.4% and growing
How has atmospheric carbon dioxide changed over time?
Since the start of the industrial revolution we have endured a massive spike in CO2, and now it is >400ppm
What is LA Photochemical Smog?
smog in Los Angeles due to ground level ozone; NOx + VOCs (hydrocarbons) = ozone precursors + sunlight = ozone
What is the significance of the factory cigarette rolling machine?
American Tobacco Company gambled that American smokers would buy machine made cigarettes, and it worked. This led to a massive increase in cigarette smoking.
How did advertising play a role in the cigarette epidemic?
Ads were extremely personalized and companies spend lots of money making them extravagant and enticing. These ads are infamous for advertising health benefits of cigarette ads.
What was the first research study detailing negative effects of cigarettes, and how was it interpreted?
1924 “On the cancer-producing factors in tar” - it was largely ignored
What was the significance of “Tobacco and longevity” from 1938, and how was the work interpreted?
Showed that non-cig smokers lived longer than cig smokers, but the author had many controversial views, causing many to dismiss his work
What was the Wynder and Graham paper from 1950, and what was its significance?
First major case-control study (retrospective) of cigs and lung cancer.
Physician authors interviewed 684 cases of lung cancer on previous smoking, occupation, etc. Due to many problems in the study (different interviewers, no blinding, etc.), results hard to interpret.
However, two non-medical investigators also interviewed 100 lung cancer patients and 186 patients with other chest diseases (controls), correcting these problems.
Found higher rates of lung cancer proportional to amount smoked.
What did the first case-control studies (retrospective) of lung cancer and cigarette smoking find?
29 studies as of 1964 all with the same result, confirming the association
5 primary critiques of the original case-control studies of lung cancer and cigarette smoking
- Studies limited to hospitalized lung cancer patients (not all lung cancer patients)
- Control groups were hospital patients who may not be representative of the general population with respect to smoking habits
- The ascertainment of smoking habits may be inaccurate
- Numerous other important variables were not investigated
- Association was shown but not relative risk
What was the Doll & Hill British Doctors Study of lung cancer and cigarette smoking, and what was its significance?
First cohort (prospective) study of lung cancer and cigarettes.
In Oct. 1951, questionnaires on smoking habits were sent to all British physicians. 40k replies received, patients followed for deaths. Confirmed association between smoking and lung cancer/death.
Found that the longer its been since you quit smoking, the higher your survival rate.
How did smoking prevalence change among doctors?
Starting in 1950, doctors began to steadily stop smoking cigarettes; at the same time, death rate among doctors decreased 38%
What was the Hammond & Horn ACS study, and what was its significance?
Cancer research solicitors had men fill out smoking questionnaire once per year. Received 187k replies. Asked about inhalation practices (how deep), packs/day, death status, etc.
Found that smoker has ~10x risk of lung cancer death than non-smokers. Also, deeper inhalation = higher death rate and quitting for longer = lower death rate.
What is the risk of lung cancer for smokers relative to non-smokers?
Male smokers have ~23x greater risk and women have ~13x greater risk of lung cancer death than non-smokers
How do emotions and life patterns differ for smokers relative to non-smokers?
Smokers are more emotionally unstable and have more hectic lives (more marriages, more accidents, etc.) than non-smokers
How did levels of tar and nicotine in factory cigarettes change over time?
From 1957-87 the amounts of both tar and nicotine in cigarettes decreased
What is the major cancer-causing agent in cigarettes?
benzo(a)pyrene
How addictive are cigarettes?
According to one study, “the pharmacologic and bahvioral processes that determine tobacco addiction are similar to those that determine addiction to drugs such as heroin and cocaine”
Describe the theft of documents from Big Tobacco
The 7 Big Tobacco companies were internally aware of the risks of cigarettes yet hid this info from the public. A scientist stole documents entailing how cigarettes are addictive and cause cancer, leading to the development of a major court case.
Stolen docs are not viable in court, so the scientist placed the documents in public library at UCSF, allowing them to be used in court.
How are the spouses of smokers affected by smoking?
Study found that spouses of smokers were at greater risk for lung cancer than spouses of nonsmokers due to sidestream smoke; “smoking kills others”
How does the carcinogenic content of sidestream smoke differ from mainstream smoke?
Sidestream smoke contains more bezno(a)pyrene than mainstream smoke
How does sidestream smoke affect children?
Causes the lungs of children to not develop properly
How does sidestream smoke affect the heart?
Causes heart disease
How does maternal smoking affect the fetus?
Women who smoke make smaller, unhealthier babies
What is The Master Settlement Agreement?
Agreement reached between states and the 7 major cigarette manufacturers after Big Tobacco was exposed for concealing the dangers of cigarettes from the public.
The 7 heads had to give money to each state in a settlement after being sued.
What percentage of lung cancer is caused by cigarettes?
~85-90% of lung cancer is caused by cigarettes
What is the relative risk of active smoking compared to other activities?
Active smoking causes the most fatalities by far, much more than alcohol, accident, or disease. It is the leading cause of preventable death
Is smoking still a problem?
Yes, cigarette smoking is down but 34 million American adults still smoke
How many deaths are attributable to cigarettes?
Cigarette smoking accounts for 1 of 5 deaths in the U.S.
More than 10 times as many citizens have died prematurely from cigarette smoking than have died in all the wars fought by the U.S.
More deaths are caused each year by cigs than by all deaths from HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combines
What are the cardiovascular effects of cigarette smoking?
- Cigarette smokers are 2-4x more likely to develop coronary heart disease (CHD) than nonsmokers
- Smoking doubles risk for stroke
- Smokers 10x more likely to develop peripheral vascular disease
Is smoking a major cancer risk of just the lungs?
More cancer risk than just the lungs, also increases risk of cancers of the bladder, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, cervix, kidney, pancreas, stomach, acute myeloid leukemia
What is the relationship of cigarette smoking and COPD?
10x increase in the risk of dying from COPD. 90% of COPD deaths are from cig smoking
What are the reproductive and early childhood effects of cigarette smoking?
Increased risk for:
- infertility
- preterm birth
- stillbirth
- low birth weight
- sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
What is the relationship of cigarette smoking and bone density?
Postmenopausal women who smoke have lower bone density than women who never smoked; women who smoked consequently have an increased risk for hip fracture
How many deaths per year are caused by cigarettes?
Tobacco causes 4 million deaths per year, a figure that will increase to 10 million per year by the late 2020s
Why is cigarette smoking cessation so important?
“Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits, including decreasing the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.”
The longer someone has been off cigarettes, greater survival rates.
What was the impact of cigarette product placement?
Placing cigarettes in movies like “Rocky” generated much revenue for Big Tobacco
4-Step Public Health Approach
- Define the burden
- Find the causes
- Develop effective solutions
- Close the gap between the science and practice
What is the major source of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)?
The home. Children in these homes have higher levels of cotinine (biological marker of secondhand smoke exposure)
What is cotinine?
biological marker of secondhand smoke exposure; reliable because only cig smoke elevates serum cotinine
5 major conclusions of the 2006 Surgeon General Report of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)
- Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disability
- Children are especially vulnerable to the poisons in secondhand smoke
- Exposure has immediate effects and causes serious disease
- There is no risk-free level of exposure
- Eliminating smoking indoors is the only way to reduce the risk from exposure
5 major health effects of tobacco smoke on children
- Increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Acute respiratory infections
- Ear infections
- More severe asthma
- Slows lung growth
How does exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) affect the risk of heart disease and cancer in nonsmokers?
- Increased risk of developing heart disease by 25-30%
- Increased risk of developing lung cancer by 20-30%
Is there a risk-free level of secondhand smoke?
No…
- Immediate effects occur in cardiovascular system, increasing risk of heart attack
- Also irritates and damages the lining of the airways
What is the cost of nonsmokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke?
The effects of secondhand smoke on nonsmokers in the U.S. costs nearly $6 billion/year
What was the result of the 1998 U.S. Federal Court hearing on the EPA classification of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) as a carcinogen?
Judge voided much of the EPA’s smoking danger findings. He stated that the EPA had overstepped its authority and that its report on the dangers of secondhand smoke was not supported by substantial evidence.
ETS had many critics that this decision appeased, but it does not invalidate the dangers of secondhand smoke.
How many people die as a result of secondhand smoke exposure?
1 person for every 52 smokers; about one million people worldwide each year
Is ventilation an effective means of reducing the health risks of secondhand smoke?
No…
- Air handling systems circulate secondhand smoke throughout the building
- Air cleaning reduces smells but not the hazardous small particles or gases found in secondhand smoke
The only effective public health approach to ETS is banning indoor cigarette smoking.
How have cigarette smoking trends changed in the U.S. over time?
Following the advent of the factory cigarette rolling machine, smoking gradually boomed. After the 1st Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health, it experienced a gradual decline.
When was the first report on secondhand smoke released to the public?
1986 Surgeon General’s Report on Secondhand Smoke
When is law and policy used as a public health approach?
Often used if education fails to achieve the intended outcome. We tend to follow the notion that we can compromise individual rights to benefit the collective good. This is the case with indoor cigarette smoking.
When was restaurant smoking banned in Madison?
In 1992, Madison adopts a plan to phase in a restaurant smoking ban. Restaurants are 100% smoke-free three years later. Second municipality to do so in the state. Bars still legal to smoke in.
Who is Ira Sharenow?
Anti-smoking activist in Madison who was a major player in the Madison indoor smoking ban in the 1990s
Who is Carol Thompson?
Anti-anti-smoker who believed that banning indoor smoking was a violation of human rights. She attacked the government and numerous other agencies in her fight for “smoking rights.”
What led to a smoking ban in bars in Madison?
Local coalition composed of UW students circulated a petition and teamed with The Smoke Free Madison Organization to push for 100% smoke-free environments in the city.
In 2004, smoking in bars was banned in Madison.
How have general trends in environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure changed over time?
What is the effect of secondhand smoke on hospitality workers?
Of bartenders and waitstaff, 50% greater risk of lung cancer than the general public, 74% report respiratory symptoms.
Current big problem is casino workers.
What is an e-cigarette?
Electronic device that replicates a cigarette, cigar, or other smoking pipes; activated by inhaling the device, which activates the heating element and releases vapor
What liquid is commonly used in vapes?
Propylene glycol
What is the atomization chamber of a vape?
This is the element that heats up and vaporizes the liquid, creating vapor-like smoke. It is significant because it gives the nicotine of real tobacco but without the tars (e.g., benzo(a)pyrene).
In newer vapes, atomizer and cart are a combined “cartomizer.”
What makes the Juul special?
The primary feature of the Juul is the fact that its e-liquid contains nicotine salts extracted from leaf-based tobacco
What are the physiological effects of nicotine?
Restricts blood vessels and consequently increases blood pressure
Is vaping less harmful than smoking?
Yes, because it gives the nicotine of real tobacco but without the tars (e.g., benzo(a)pyrene), but it’s still not safe. Vapes are still associated with lung and cardiopulmonary problems.
Are there toxins/carcinogens in vapes?
The FDA indicated that there are toxic chemicals including a carcinogen known to cause cancer in humans produced by vapes.
There are also specific toxicants in cinnamon-flavored e-liquids.
In 2014 there were 215 poison center calls involving vapes, with half involving children.
Are vapes an official nicotine replacement tool?
No, according to WHO, e-cigs are not currently used for Nicotine Replacement Therapy due to lack of peer-reviewed studies
How have trends in vapes compared with trends in cigarettes?
- Number of vapes is increasing while number of cigarettes is decreasing
- Vape profit pool is increasing while cigarette profit pool is decreasing
It is thought that consumption of vapes could surpass consumption of tobacco within the next decade.
Do vapes cause health issues?
Research suggests vaping is bad for the heart and lungs, but there are many unknowns. Seems like health issues largely with THC carts.
Can vapes be smoked indoors in Madison?
No, vaping is part of the indoor smoking ban
What is the loophole in the vape flavor ban?
Disposables can have flavors, but refillables cannot
How does vaping relate to COVID-19?
Teens and young adults who vape face a much higher risk of COVID-19 than those who do not vape
How has the FDA approached vapes?
FDA denied marketing applications for millions of vaping products because they lacked sufficient evidence on the benefits for adult smokers
What is a chemical of concern in vapes?
Vitamin E Acetate, a thickening agent often used in THC vapes; found in all lung fluid samples of EVALI patients (those injured while vaping)
Are there respiratory effects of smoking marijuana?
No good epidemiology studies, but as a rule of thumb, eat a brownie or cookie, don’t smoke it. Smoking in general damages the lungs and can cause cardiovascular problems.
Vaping THC carts is associated with lung injury and heart problems.
How does marijuana affect brain development?
Using marijuana during adolescence may affect how the brain builds connections for functions like attention, memory, and learning
2 phases of breathing
- Inspiration - process of taking in air
- Expiration - process of blowing out air
5 major functions of the upper respiratory tract
- Passageway for respiration
- Receptors for smell
- Filters incoming air for larger foreign material
- Moistens air and warms incoming air
- Has resonating chambers for voice
What is the function of the nose/naval cavity?
warms, moistens, and filters air as it is inhaled
What is the function of the pharynx (throat)?
passageway for air, leads to the trachea
What is the function of the larynx?
the voice box, where vocal chords are located
What is the function of the trachea (windpipe)?
keeps the windpipe “open;” lined with fine hairs called cilia which filter air before it reaches the lungs
What is the function of the bronchi?
two branches at end of the trachea, each lead to a lung
What is the function of the bronchioles?
a network of smaller branches leading from the bronchi into the lung tissue and ultimately to air sacs
What is the function of the alveoli?
the functional respiratory units in the lung where gases (O2 and CO2) are exchanged
How does gas exchange between the blood and alveoli work?
oxygen from inhaled air diffuses into the bloodstream from alveoli, and carbon dioxide from the blood diffuses into the alveoli to be exhaled
Where are small particles deposited in the respiratory system?
Small particles make it deeper into the lungs, being deposited in the alveoli as well as the trachea and bronchi
How have asbestosis deaths trended over time?
Starting in 1968, asbestosis deaths gradually increased
How does asbestos exposure correlate with mesothelioma prevalence?
How is acid rain formed?
SO2 and NOx from burning coal combine with oxygen multiple times (SO3, NO3), which combines with water vapor to produce sulfuric acid and nitric acid (acid rain) and even ammonium sulfate.
What caused the ozone hole to develop?
Chlorofluorocarbons; the ozone hole is man-made
CFCs react with UV to generate free Cl, and it is this free Cl that damages the ozone layer
How has global ozone changed over time?
