By Ethan Luxton, contributing author 

It is the goal of Whitman County Public Health to educate the public about contagious diseases and provide information on how citizens can take precautions and protect themselves during outbreaks such as hepatitis A, measles, and yearly increases in flu rates. 
 
Protect Yourself: Here are 10 ways you can protect yourself and your family in the event of disease outbreaks:
1.       Get a flu shot annually
2.       Wash your hands often with soap and water
3.       Clean communal surfaces daily
4.       Avoid people who are coughing or sneezing
5.       Invest in an air filtration system
6.       Stay home from work or school if you are sick with a fever or have other flu symptoms
7.       Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
8.       Avoid sharing food or drinks with infected people
9.       Don’t share toothbrushes or utensils
10.   Make a plan and be prepared at home with extra food, water, and medicine
Learn more about from the WA State Department of Health a bit.ly/WAStayHealthy.

E-cigarettes are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “vapes,” “e-hookahs,” “vape pens,” and “electronic
nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).” Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or
pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items.
E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently
use tobacco products. While e-cigarettes have the potential to benefit some people and harm
others, scientists still have a lot to learn about whether e-cigarettes are effective for quitting
smoking.

This is where Whitman County Public Health (WCPH) steps in. Here is what WCPH says YOU
need to know about Vaping:

1. Nicotine is toxic to developing fetuses.
   
2. Nicotine can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.
   
3. Nicotine is a health danger for pregnant women and their developing babies
4. Besides nicotine, e-cigarette aerosol can contain substances that harm the body. This includes cancer-causing chemicals and tiny particles that reach deep into lungs.
   
5. Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused fires and explosions
6. Acute nicotine can be toxic. Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid.
   
7. E-cigarettes are not currently approved by the FDA as a quit smoking aid.
8. In 2018, more than 3.6 million U.S. middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.
   
9. 1 Juul Pod is equivalent to one pack of cigarettes.
   
10. Among current e-cigarrete users ages 18-24, 40% had never been regular cigarette smokers. 
    

Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant. The plant contains the mind-altering chemical THC and other
similar compounds. 

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Its use is widespread
among young people. In 2015, more than 11 million young adults ages 18 to 25 used marijuana
in the past year. The number of young people who believe regular marijuana use is risky is
decreasing.

Legalization of marijuana for medical use or adult recreational use in a growing number of states may affect these views. When a person smokes marijuana, THC quickly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream. The blood carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body.

This is where Whitman County Public Health (WCPH) steps in. Here is what WCPH says YOU
need to know about marijuana:

1. It is Illegal to use marijuana in view of the general public
2. Recreational use is unsafe and illegal for anyone under 21
3. Smoking marijuana has negative and dangerous long- and short-term effects on the brain
4. Marijuana over activates parts of the brain that contain the highest number of these receptors. This causes the "high" that people feel. Other effects include altered senses, changes in mood, impaired body movement, difficulty thinking and problem solving, impaired memory.
5. Approximately 10 percent of people who use marijuana may develop what is called a marijuana use disorder—problems with their health, school, friendships, family or other conflicts in their life
   
6. People who use marijuana may feel a mild withdrawal when they stop using the drug, but might not recognize their symptoms as drug withdrawal. These symptoms may include irritability, sleeplessness, lack of appetite, anxiety and drug cravings.

​Measles is a contagious disease that causes high fever, cough, runny nose, and red watery eyes. A rash of tiny red spots breaks out 3-5 days after symptoms begin. It also can lead to infection of the lungs (pneumonia) and brain swelling (encephalitis), which may lead to brain damage or death. There is no treatment for measles, but there is a way to prevent it: the combination measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. It protects you and helps stop the spread of the measles virus to others.

This is where Whitman County Public Health (WCPH) steps in. Here is what WCPH says YOU
need to know about Measles:

1. Measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5.
2. About 1 in 4 people in the U.S. who get measles will be hospitalized
3. 1-2 out of 1,000 people with measles will die, even with the best of care
4. Measles is extremely contagious, it can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. (If one person has it, 9 out of 10 people around him or her will also become infected if they are not infected
5. The MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective
6. Infants and children less than 5 years of age, adults older than 20, and pregnant women are at high risk for severe illness and complications from measles.