Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Closed Schools Drove Teen Vaping Down, But 2 Million Still Vaped In 2021
AP: Big Drop In US Teen Vaping Seen With COVID School Closures
Teen vaping plummeted this year as many U.S. students were forced to learn from home during the pandemic, according to a government report released Thursday. U.S. health officials urged caution in interpreting the numbers, which were collected using an online questionnaire for the first time. But outside experts said the big decrease in electronic cigarettes use is likely real and makes sense given that young people often vape socially. “They found a dramatic drop from last year and it’s hard to imagine that doesn’t represent a real decrease in use among high school and middle school students,” said Dr. Nancy Rigotti of Harvard University, who was not involved in the research. (Perrone, 9/30)
Fox News: CDC Issues Warning After Study Finds 2 Million Teens Used E-Cigs This Year
The number of teenagers who have used e-cigarettes has reached 2 million, and more than 80% of those middle and high school students used flavored e-cigs in 2021, according to a study released today by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since 2014, they have been the most frequently used smoking product among U.S. youth.Of the students that were surveyed, 43.6% of high school students and 17.2% of middle school students have used e-cigs in the past month. Of those students, 27.6% of high school and 8.3% of middle school students admitted to daily use. Flavored e-cigs are prevalent. (Jones, 9/30)
In other public health news —
The New York Times: How To Ease And Avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder
For about 1 in 20 people in the northern half of the United States, cooling temperatures and shorter, darker days may signal the onset of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, a type of depression that typically arrives in the fall or winter, then goes away in the spring. Unlike mild cases of the “winter blues,” SAD symptoms make it difficult to function. It tends to start with so-called “vegetative symptoms”: an increased appetite and a craving for carbohydrates like french fries or ice cream, the urge to sleep longer hours, difficulty getting up in the morning and feeling wiped out at work. (Caron, 9/30)
CNN: Food Stamps: Historic Increase In Benefits Starts In October
Food stamp recipients will see their monthly payments go up in October thanks to a major update to the program, even though a special pandemic boost has now expired. Benefits will jump 27% above pre-pandemic levels, on average -- the largest increase in its history. The change stems from a revision of the Thrifty Food Plan, which determines the benefit amounts of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the formal name for food stamps. (Luhby, 10/1)
The Washington Post: $15 Million Grant Is Awarded To University Researchers Finding Solution To Food Waste
If America went grocery shopping, it would leave with five bags of food and empty two into the street, according to estimates by experts from the Natural Resources Defense Council. The United States wastes up to 40 percent of all the food it produces — between 125 and 160 billion pounds annually — at nearly every stage of production, researchers have found. “Think about the greenhouse gas implications, of water use,” said Sauleh Siddiqui, an associate professor of environmental science at American University. “This is a big chunk of all our resources that we’re using that we should be doing better on.” (Lumpkin, 9/30)
USA Today: Coppertone Sunscreen Recall 2021: Select Products Recalled For Benzene
Coppertone is voluntarily recalling five of its aerosol sunscreen products due to the presence of benzene, a chemical that can cause cancer with repeated exposure. The company announced the recall Thursday of 12 lots of sunscreen and advised consumers to stop using the affected products, which were manufactured between Jan. 10 and June 15, 2021. According to a recall notice posted on the Food & Drug Administration's website, the affected products were sold at retailers nationwide and include: Pure & Simple SPF 50, Pure & Simple Kids SPF 50, Pure & Simple Baby SPF 50, Sport Mineral SPF 50 and travel-size Coppertone Sport Spray SPF 50. (Tyko, 9/30)
Fox News: Exercise More Important Than Weight Loss For A Healthy Life
A new study indicates that consistent exercise – not weight loss – contributes more towards a healthier and longer life. The study, led by Glenn Gaesser of Arizona State University in Phoenix, analyzed the relationship between fitness, weight, heart health and longevity. Results showed that exercise, even for overweight or obese people, typically lowered the risk of heart disease and premature death far more than dropping weight or dieting. "A weight-neutral approach to treating obesity-related health conditions may be as, or more, effective than a weight-loss-centered approach, and could avoid pitfalls associated with repeated weight loss failure," the study concluded. (Aitken, 9/30)
GMA: 'Dancing With The Stars' Competitor Cody Rigsby Has COVID-19
"Dancing With the Stars" competitor Cody Rigsby has tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time this year.Four days ago, his dancing partner, Cheryl Burke, announced that she has the virus. (9/30)
KHN: Readers And Tweeters Feel Americans’ Pain
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories. (10/1)
