Title of article
Levels of Urine Cotinine from Hookah Smoking and Exposure to Hookah Tobacco Secondhand Smoke in Hookah Lounges and Homes
Author/Authors
Kassem, Nada O F Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health (CBEACH)- Graduate School of Public Health-Division of Health Promotion- San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A , Kassem, v Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health (CBEACH)- Graduate School of Public Health-Division of Health Promotion- San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A , Liles, Sandy Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health (CBEACH)- Graduate School of Public Health-Division of Health Promotion- San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A , Jackson, heila R Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health (CBEACH)- Graduate School of Public Health-Division of Health Promotion- San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A , B Posis, Alexander Ivan Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health (CBEACH)- Graduate School of Public Health-Division of Health Promotion- San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A , Chatfield, Dale A Department of Chemistry- san Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A , Chatfield, Dale A Department of Chemistry- San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A. , Hovell, Melbourne F Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health (CBEACH)- Graduate School of Public Health-Division of Health Promotion- San Diego State University, San Diego, California, U.S.A
Pages
11
From page
1
To page
11
Abstract
Background: Nicotine, an addictive drug, is present in all forms of tobacco products, including hookah tobacco, which is not yet
regulated in the United States.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the uptake of nicotine in hookah smokers and non-smokers exposed to secondhand
smoke (SHS) at indoor hookah social events in natural settings where hookah tobacco was smoked exclusively.
Patients and Methods:We quantified cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine, 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: Following a social event where exclusively hookah tobacco was smoked, urinary cotinine levels increased significantly 8.5
times (geometric mean (GM): 16.0 ng/mg to 136.1 ng/mg) among hookah smokers, and 2.5 times (GM: 0.4 ng/mg to 1.0 ng/mg) among
non-smokers exposed exclusively to hookah tobacco SHS. Among hookah smokers, the highest increase in urinary cotinine levels
post a hookah event was found in occasional hookah smokers in which GM levels increased significantly 31.2 times post smoking
(from 2.0 ng/mg to 62.3 ng/mg). Reported reasons for preference to smoke hookah at home by hookah smokers who attended a
hookah social event in a private home included recreational purposes, socializing with friends and family, ‘Me’ time and relaxing
at home, more comfortable to smoke hookah at home, owning a hookah and hookah tobacco, eating and drinking while smoking
hookah, and saving money by smoking at home and not going to hookah lounges.
Conclusions: Hookah tobacco smoke is a source of substantial nicotine exposure. Our results call for protecting hookah smokers’
and non-smokers’ health by requiring accurate hookah tobacco labels, raising taxes on hookah tobacco, reducing the spread of
hookah lounges, and encouraging voluntary bans on smoking hookah tobacco in private homes.
Keywords
Hookah Smoking , Waterpipe Smoking , Cotinine , Secondhand Smoke , Nicotine
Journal title
Astroparticle Physics
Serial Year
2018
Record number
2480101
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