Latest KFF Health News Content

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Teens May Be Drinking Less, Trying Fewer Hard Drugs, But Their Marijuana Vaping Rates Are Skyrocketing

Morning Briefing

Of 12th graders surveyed, 14 percent said they had vaped marijuana in the last month, nearly double the 7.5 percent reported a year ago. The data also echoed earlier statistics about e-cigarettes, with a quarter of high school seniors reporting that they had vaped nicotine within the last month. Meanwhile, the FDA has approved the sales of a low-nicotine cigarette that could help smokers who are trying to quit.

The Good, The Bad And The Weird: A Deeper Look Into What Actually Made It Into Spending Deal–And What Was Cut

Morning Briefing

The House passed the sweeping legislation on Tuesday, sending it to the Senate ahead of a Friday deadline for a government shutdown. The bill will, among other things, repeal three health law taxes in a win for insurers. Media outlets dive into the particulars of what’s included — like a tobacco age ban and money for wildfire safety — and what is not. Provisions in the latter category might act as a cautionary tale for progressive Democrats as they try to push ahead with “Medicare for All.”

Remember ‘No Concerns’ About Health Risks? None Of EPA’s Monitoring After Hurricane Harvey Was Valid, Watchdog Report Shows

Morning Briefing

The report supports findings by the media last year that revealed a far more widespread toxic impact than authorities publicly reported. Known carcinogens were among the industrial toxic substances released into surrounding neighborhoods. And recently, dozens of people in Houston were possibly exposed to a plant’s mercury spill.