There is no difference in the quality of air when they smoke tobacco products or only products based on plants, herbs or fruit, which do not contain tobacco, such as the hookahs or electronic cigarettes, ascertained experts of the Center for Health Policies and Studies (PAS), who monitored the quality of air in 25 public eating places in Chisinau.
In a news conference at IPN, PAS expert Gennady Turcanu said the tobacco products and those from plants for smoking by burning, including cigars and hookahs, emit large quantities of small particles that are easily inhaled and enter deep in the lungs. The particulate matter PM2.5 is a good marker of pollution with tobacco smoke and smoke produced by plants for smoking.
According to the expert, dangerous levels of particulate matter PM2.5, which exceeded 251 mg/m3, were recorded in places where cigars and hookahs were smoked (1197.97 mg/m3), only cigars were smoked (635.76 mg/m3) and in those where only hookahs were smoked (305.56 mg/m3).
Gennady Turcanu said the lowest level of particulate matter PM2.5, of 140.86 mg/m3, was recorded in a place where only two persons smoked during the monitoring period. But in this case as well, there is unhealthy pollution, according to the air quality index, and the persons should reduce the time of staying in such places.
In the place where hookahs were smoked, the air pollution level exceeded the WHO air quality objective 31 times.
The survey concluded that the public eating places where the law is violated and smoking is allowed there have high air pollution levels and the employees and clients continue to be exposed to the noxious effects of passive smoking in closed public areas.
The study was conducted during rush hour at restaurants, cafes and bars. The quality of air was measured with a particle monitoring device called SidePak Aerosol Monitor during not less than 30 minutes inside places visited by experts as clients.
The study was possible owing to the project “Moldova Without Tobacco Smoke” that was financed by “Campanian for Tobacco-Free Kids” and “Bloomberg Philanthropies” and was implemented by the Center for Health Policies and Studies.
