Smoke-Free
Dear Editor: The Marijuana Control Board is hosting a public hearing Dec. 19 in Anchorage to discuss a draft of new proposed regulations which contain provisions for consuming (smoking and vaping) marijuana in mixed use buildings in areas only separated from the general public by a door. In addition, there are several requirements related to ventilation that are contrary to the conclusions of U.S. Surgeon General reports that ventilation systems cannot control for the health hazards associated with secondhand smoke. Doors and ventilation systems do not adequately protect health but give employees and business owners the false impression effective steps are being taken to address the health risk. We have learned all these lessons in our decades long work promoting smoke-free environments and workplaces.
Smoke is smoke — regardless of the device or description. Secondhand marijuana smoke contains hundreds of chemicals — just like secondhand tobacco smoke. Many of the chemicals in secondhand marijuana smoke are toxic and contain hazardous fine particles that pose a significant health risk to non-smokers.
“Smoke is smoke. Both tobacco and marijuana smoke impair blood vessel function similarly. People should avoid both, and governments who are protecting people against secondhand smoke exposure should include marijuana in those rules,” Matthew Springer, cardiovascular researcher and Associate Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.
Please support smoke-free protections for all Alaskans.
Cheri Hample, MPH, MSW, Sitka
