Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
A Drink A Day Might Be Fine. More Than That? Not So Much, Study Finds.
CBS News: More Than 1 Drink A Day Raises Risk Of Dying, New Federal Review Concludes
Consuming more than one drink a day results in a steep increase of the risk of premature death, a new federal review has concluded. The draft report was published Tuesday ahead of a major update to influential federal guidelines on how much alcohol Americans should drink. "In the United States, males and females have a 1 in 1000 risk of dying from alcohol use if they consume more than 7 drinks per week. This risk increases to 1 in 100 if they consume more than 9 drinks per week," the report's authors concluded, in a final draft published by the Department of Health and Human Services. (Gualtieri and Cohen, 1/14)
PS Nutrition: Are THC Drinks Safer Than Alcohol? Experts Weigh In
These drinks, which typically contain anywhere from 1mg of THC to 10mg of THC per serving, promise to deliver a feeling similar to a glass of wine sans the side effects of alcohol. But are they any healthier than drinking your favorite cocktail? Here's what you need to know about the risks and benefits, according to an MD and three cannabis experts. (Harrell, 1/14)
Bloomberg: Cannabis Cocktails: THC-Infused Nonalcoholic Drinks Are On The Rise
THC-infused hemp drinks are all the rage, but legal questions loom. (Brown, 1/14)
On cigarette warning labels —
The Hill: FDA's Cigarette Warning Label Requirement Temporarily Blocked
A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from enforcing a requirement that cigarette packages include graphic warnings on the impacts of smoking. On Monday, U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker in Tyler, Texas, ruled in favor of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and others, finding the FDA does not have the authority to require cigarette packaging and advertising to include one of 11 different warning labels. (O’Connell-Domenech, 1/14)
The Washington Post: Cigarettes With Ultralow Nicotine May Be Newest Weapon In Smoking War
In the heart of North Carolina tobacco country, one company manufactures cigarettes with ultralow nicotine levels designed to prevent smokers from getting addicted. Sales aren’t exactly sizzling. VLN cigarettes — the only smokable tobacco products the Food and Drug Administration allows to be marketed as lower risk for nicotine exposure — are available in about 5,100 stores in 26 states, a small fraction of the overall market for cigarettes. (Ovalle and Roubein, 1/14)
