<i>Notes from the Field:</i> Environmental Contamination from E-cigarette, Cigarette, Cigar, and Cannabis Products at 12 High Schools — San Francisco Bay Area, 2018–2019

Mock, Jeremiah; Hendlin, Yogi Hale

doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6840a4

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Schools are influential environments in which youth may initiate new risk behaviors, including uptake of e-cigarettes [ 22 , 23 , 43 ]. Similar to the current study, previous studies have identified the school environment as one where e-cigarettes, and specifically JUUL, have been used [ 15 , 44 ]. Given that youth report access to e-cigarettes from peers and that peer influences are one of the most commonly cited reasons for tobacco use, school environments need to be considered as intervention points to help youth avoid e-cigarette initiation and use [ 22 , 23 , 26 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

E-cigarette school policy and staff training: Knowledge and school policy experiences with e-cigarette products among a national sample of US middle and high school staff

et al. 2022

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Background As youth e-cigarette use has surged in the last several years, teachers and school administrators have reported challenges addressing student use of emerging e-cigarette products on school property. While federal policy prohibits smoking in U.S. schools that receive federal funding, school e-cigarette bans only exist where states or localities have acted. Little is known about school staff experiences with implementing these relatively new policies; this study examines associations between school e-cigarette policies and trainings on school staff awareness and intervention on student e-cigarette use. Methods A national convenience sample of 1,526 U.S. middle- and high-school teachers and administrators was surveyed in November-December 2018. Among respondents who provided their job title and indicated that they worked in a school rather than a district (n = 1,480, response rate = 97.0%), separate logistic regressions examine associations of school policies and policy training with e-cigarette awareness and intervention on student e-cigarette use. Results Despite being the most popular e-cigarette at the time, fewer than half (47.5%) of respondents identified an image of a JUUL device as an e-cigarette. However, respondents reporting the presence of e-cigarette policies in their schools had higher odds of recognizing e-cigarettes (OR = 3.85, p<0.01), including photo recognition of JUUL (OR = 1.90, p<0.001). Respondents reporting e-cigarette policies also had higher odds of reporting intervention on student e-cigarette use (communicating with students about e-cigarette avoidance: OR = 2.32, p<0.001; reporting students had been caught using e-cigarettes at school: OR = 1.54, p<0.05). Among respondents reporting a school e-cigarette policy, those trained on the policy had higher odds of JUUL photo recognition (OR = 1.54, p<0.01). Respondents trained on e-cigarette policies also had higher odds of reporting intervention (communicating: OR = 3.89, p<0.001; students caught using e-cigarettes: OR = 2.71, p<0.001). Conclusions As new tobacco products enter the market, school policies may be important tools to raise school personnel awareness of and intervention on emerging e-cigarette product use. However, policy adoption alone is not sufficient; policy training may further aid in recognition and intervention upon student use of e-cigarettes at school.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

E-cigarette school policy and staff training: Knowledge and school policy experiences with e-cigarette products among a national sample of US middle and high school staff

et al. 2022

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“…In addition, Parties could determine that, for example, tobacco product waste is a by-product of tobacco manufacturing and implement measures to protect the health of the environment and of populations through product regulation that reduces or eliminates toxic waste as well as by applying liability measures to the tobacco industry. Apart from the environmental impact of conventional tobacco products, well known for trillions of non-degradable cigarette filters polluting land and oceans, novel nicotine and tobacco products contribute by adding additional plastic and e-waste to the environment 29 38–40…”

Section: Is the Convention Adequate To Address Markets And Society’s ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Where next for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control?

Bialous¹,

Silva

2022

Tob Control

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“…While there are few studies of the prevalence of e-cigarette waste in the environment, it is probable that the recent increase in e-cigarette usage has been accompanied by an increase in littering of e-cigarette waste, with an associated chemical contaminant release. A recent study at San Francisco Bay Area high schools in the US showed that e-cigarette products comprised 19% of smoking litter found around exterior perimeters, second only to CBs [16]. Littering of e-liquid containers from e-cigarettes poses a particularly serious threat of environmental pollution because they can contain high concentrations of residual nicotine [127].…”

Section: Electronic Cigarettesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many CBs smoked in public are littered to the urban environment rather than disposed of in proper receptacles [92]. Adding to the burden of CBs is the waste associated with the growing use of e-cigarettes [16]. In the United States, schools must now manage confiscated e-cigarettes and e-cigarette litter as hazardous waste, likely incurring significant costs associated with their collection, storage, and disposal [126].…”

Section: Economic Impacts Of Contaminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Waste associated with e-cigarettes includes replaceable capsules with concentrated nicotine residuals, batteries, and electronic circuitry that can also leach pollutants into water and soil [15]. Areas frequented by adolescents and young adults, including schools, are hot spots for e-cigarette debris, much of which originates from the use of flavored tobacco products [16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Review of Environmental Pollution from the Use and Disposal of Cigarettes and Electronic Cigarettes: Contaminants, Sources, and Impacts

et al. 2021

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While the impacts of cigarette smoking on human health are widely known, a less recognized impact of tobacco product use and disposal is environmental pollution. This review discusses the current literature related to cigarette and e-cigarette contamination in the context of environmental sources and impacts, with a focus on the documented influences on biota, ranging from bacteria to mammals. Cigarette butts and electronic cigarette components can leach contaminants into soil, water, and air. Cellulose acetate cigarette filters comprising the butts are minimally degradable and are a source of bulk plastic and microplastic pollution, especially in aquatic ecosystems where they tend to accumulate. Cigarette combustion and aerosol production during e-cigarette use result in air contamination from sidestream, exhaled, and thirdhand pathways. The chemical byproducts of tobacco product use contaminate wastewater effluents, landfill leachates, and urban storm drains. The widespread detection of nicotine and cotinine in the environment illustrates the potential for large-scale environmental impacts of tobacco product waste. Studies show that cigarette butt leachate and nicotine are toxic to microbes, plants, benthic organisms, bivalves, zooplankton, fish, and mammals; however, there remain critical knowledge gaps related to the environmental impacts of tobacco product waste on environmental health and ecosystem functioning.

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Notes from the Field: Environmental Contamination from E-cigarette, Cigarette, Cigar, and Cannabis Products at 12 High Schools — San Francisco Bay Area, 2018–2019

Cited by 11 publications

References 7 publications

E-cigarette school policy and staff training: Knowledge and school policy experiences with e-cigarette products among a national sample of US middle and high school staff

E-cigarette school policy and staff training: Knowledge and school policy experiences with e-cigarette products among a national sample of US middle and high school staff

Where next for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control?

A Review of Environmental Pollution from the Use and Disposal of Cigarettes and Electronic Cigarettes: Contaminants, Sources, and Impacts

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