Notes from the Field: Environmental Contamination from E-cigarette, Cigarette, Cigar, and Cannabis Products at 12 high Schools - San Francisco Bay area, 2018-2019.

Introduction:
This text is a report from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US. The report focuses on the environmental contamination caused by the waste from e-cigarette, cigarette, cigar, and cannabis products at 12 high schools in the San Francisco Bay area. The study was conducted through a garbology approach, where researchers collected and analyzed waste items found in student parking lots and exterior school perimeter areas.

Key Points:

* The study found a significant amount of waste from e-cigarette, cigarette, cigar, and cannabis products at the high schools.
* almost all the e-cigarette product waste items were Juul or Juul-compatible pods and caps.
* among the Juul or Juul-compatible flavor caps, 99% were from flavored pods other than tobacco flavor, with 64% being mint or menthol-flavored.
* at four high schools with predominantly lower-income african-american and Latino students, eight e-cigarette product waste items were collected, along with 71 little cigar or cigarillo plastic wrappers and mouthpieces, 94% of which were from flavored products.
* No little cigar or cigarillo items were found at schools in upper-income communities.
* across all schools, 620 cigarette butts were collected, with 65% being from recently smoked cigarettes and 42% being menthol.
* Fourteen cannabis product waste items were found, including vaporizer pens, cartridges, and packaging from high-potency pineapple- and lemon-flavored cannabis oil concentrate vaporizer cartridges.

Main Message:
The main message of the text is the significant presence of waste from e-cigarette, cigarette, cigar, and cannabis products at high schools in the San Francisco Bay area. The study highlights the need for further research and actions at national, state, and community levels to reduce youth access to and use of these products. Measures are also needed to eliminate environmental contamination from these waste products in and around schools. The study emphasizes the importance of engaging students in identifying and raising awareness about the hazardous health and environmental impacts of these products.

Mock J, hendlin Yh. Notes from the Field: Environmental Contamination from E-cigarette, Cigarette, Cigar, and Cannabis Products at 12 high Schools - San Francisco Bay area, 2018-2019. MMWR Morbidity and mortality weekly report. 2019;68(40):897-899. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6840a4