The Club Live program of Friday Night Live has engaged youth in a significant initiative to assess thirdhand smoke contaminants in their environments. Selected youth-led chapters, including the Modoc County Friday Night Live Partnership, received free research test kits from the Center for Tobacco and the Environment (CTE) to conduct this research.
While many are familiar with firsthand and secondhand smoke, the dangers of thirdhand smoke, which consists of chemical residues that linger on surfaces and in dust, are often overlooked. More than 20 harmful chemicals associated with thirdhand smoke are identified under California’s Proposition 65, with nicotine serving as a marker for its presence.
Two youth leaders from Club Live, Andrew Anguiano and Iiyan Nabahe-Henry, received approval from their school administrators to carry out the research. They used five test kits, collecting samples in bathrooms at Modoc Middle School and Surprise Valley Jr./Sr. High School between February 7 and 19, 2025. The samples were analyzed by a laboratory on April 16, 2025.
Results revealed that one male bathroom at Modoc Middle School had a nicotine pollution level classified as “Moderate Concern,” indicating a possible history of indoor smoking. The remaining bathrooms reported Very Low or Low levels of nicotine. The CTE will provide recommendations based on these findings to the school principals.
Principals Matt McCandless and Audra Evans expressed enthusiasm for the research, highlighting its importance in promoting student health and awareness regarding the risks of thirdhand smoke. The collaboration between the Modoc County Friday Night Live Partnership, Club Live, and the schools represents a proactive approach to understanding and mitigating nicotine use among youth, aiming for a healthier future generation.
