Illegal tobacco leads to fungal growth
11 April 2003
People who smoke and have respiratory problems should tell their doctor what they are smoking, after reports of illness and death in people smoking illegal 'chop chop' tobacco.
Renee Bittoun, who runs Central Sydney Area Health Service clinics for smokers, said there had been at least 40 cases of what could be described as 'farmer's lung' or 'tobacco grower's lung' as well as 2 deaths in Sydney over just 6 months.
She said people should be strongly advised against smoking 'chop chop' as it could lead to fungal growth in their lungs.
This could cause allergic alveolitis (inflammation of the small terminal airways in the lungs) or aspergillosis (infection with the fungus Aspergillus), or trigger an acute asthma attack, Ms Bittoun said.
These cases so far could be the tip of the iceberg, she told the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand's annual scientific meeting in Adelaide recently.
'Doctors might be treating these cases without realising this is what caused it because they don't ask ... 'What do you smoke?',' Ms Bittoun said, adding that more aggressive treatment was often needed.
'People present as being very unwell with a pneumonia-like illness and high temperature, or an acute asthma attack.'
The condition could present as what doctors call 'farmer's lung' or 'tobacco grower's lung' because of spores that grow in the wet tobacco and vegetable matter being inhaled.
Ms Bittoun said increased tobacco taxes in the past 2 years had driven some people to buy this 'rubbish'.
'Also, some people wrongly think it's a healthier option because they believe it to be natural and not full of the chemicals of ordinary cigarettes.'
But there is no control over what goes into chop chop, and there has been reports of cotton, grass clippings, chloride and pesticide sprays being added, she said.
Ms Bittoun said while the best advice was to stop smoking, people should at least try to ditch the 'chop chop'.
She added that drying 'chop chop' in the microwave or sun did not lessen the danger as some fungal spores were thermophilic (tolerant of heat).
Last Reviewed: 14 April 2003
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 11/4/03
