Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Controversy, Lobbying Around Plan To Ban Menthol Cigarettes
AP: Plan To Ban Menthol Cigarettes Prompts Late Lobbying Blitz
As federal officials finalize a long-awaited plan to ban menthol cigarettes, dozens of interest groups have met with White House staffers to try to influence the process, which has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives while wiping out billions in tobacco sales. Biden administration officials have heard from tobacco lobbyists, anti-smoking advocates, civil rights groups, small business owners and conservative think tanks. The lobbying push underscores the far-reaching impacts of banning menthol, which accounts for over one-third of the U.S. cigarette market. (Perrone, 4/22)
Los Angeles Times: Big Tobacco Stokes Fear Of Menthol Ban In Black Communities
Retired Deputy Police Chief Wayne Harris stood in front of Black lawmakers and clicked to a slide of George Floyd, pinned down on the pavement with Police Officer Derek Chauvin’s knee on his neck. “I chose this picture intentionally because I want to set the tone,” he said. But Harris hadn’t come to the luncheon to discuss police reform or Floyd’s murder. He was there at the invitation of tobacco maker Reynolds American to urge representatives not to ban menthol cigarettes, the flavor of choice for the vast majority of Black smokers. Using the specter of Floyd’s tragic death and the social justice protests it inspired, Harris suggested that prohibiting menthol cigarettes would increase policing in Black communities and create a new layer of racism in America. (Baumgaertner, Stockton and Lindsay, 4/25)
In news about the flu, ADHD, and mental health —
CIDRAP: Flu Rise Continues, With Bigger Impact In Certain Regions
Flu activity in the United States, as measured by outpatient visits for flulike illness, continues a steady rise that began in the middle of February, with activity highest in the northeast, south central, and mountain regions of the country, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its latest update today. (4/22)
Stat: There's A New Crop Of Treatments For ADHD In Kids. Are They Any Better?
Parents and doctors now have more tools than ever before to help kids manage symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But experts say there’s a looming question about the next generation of treatments: Are these new drugs and devices any better than what’s come before? At least four new treatments — two drugs, a nerve stimulation device, and a prescription video game — have come to market in recent years to manage or treat symptoms of ADHD. The condition, which is marked by an inability to focus, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, has historically been treated with stimulants. But with new drug formulations and entirely novel approaches, experts say it’s proven difficult to grasp how different options stack up to one another, because there are rarely any studies that compare ADHD treatments head to head. (Farah, 4/25)
The Washington Post: Exercise May Help Prevent Depression
Already known to help ease depression, regular exercise may also help prevent it, with people who exercised just half the recommended weekly amount lowering their risk for depression by 18 percent, according to research published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. However, those who were more active, meeting at least the minimum recommended physical activity level, reduced their risk for depression by 25 percent, compared with inactive people. (Searing, 4/24)
The Boston Globe: Continued Student Struggles Are Weighing On Teachers In The Third Year Of The Pandemic
With full-time in-person learning back and the coronavirus seemingly on the wane, 2021-2022 was supposed to be a return to normal at public schools. But if anything, this school year has been even harder than the previous, as teachers and counselors say a cascade of problems and issues are testing the limits of their endurance and resolve. Already conditioned to multitasking, teachers say the issues they are juggling have multiplied in number and, as important, in severity. More students are struggling academically and emotionally. Schools are dealing with abnormal amounts of disruptive behavior and widespread lack of motivation, while staff are spending time teaching social-emotional skills students should have learned earlier. (Huffaker, 4/24)
