Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
During The Pandemic Cannabis Sent Many More Young People To ERs: CDC
Politico: Emergency Room Visits Linked To Cannabis Spiked During Pandemic
Emergency department visits related to cannabis use increased among people under the age of 25 during the pandemic and have remained elevated, according to a new study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Demko, 7/13)
The Hill: Cannabis-Related ER Visits Rose Among Young People During Pandemic
The CDC observed data on ER visits from 2019 to 2022 among people under the age 25. In total, there were 539,106 cannabis-involved emergency department (ED) visits during this period in that demographic, with the weekly average of visits rising significantly across younger age groups. Among children younger than 10, the average number of weekly pot-related ED visits rose from 30.4 in 2020 to 71.5 in 2022, compared to ranging from 18.7 to 23.2 in 2019. (Choi, 7/13)
CIDRAP: Emergency Visits For Cannabis In Youth, Young Adults Increased In Pandemic
Of note, female cannabis-involved ED visit ratios surpassed those of males in the first half of the 2020-21 school year (2020, weeks 37–53), and this continued throughout most of the pandemic. "This might indicate that females were more likely than males to use cannabis to cope with pandemic-related stress," the authors said. (Soucheray, 7/13)
On other public health developments —
AP: Eating Limits Of Fish From North Carolina River Recommended Due To "Forever Chemical"
North Carolina health officials formally recommended on Thursday limits on eating certain fish caught from portions of the Cape Fear River due to health concerns from a substance within the family of “forever chemicals.” The state Department of Health and Human Services issued a consumption advisory for species of freshwater fish from the middle and lower Cape Fear River south of Fayetteville to north of Wilmington because of exposure to what’s called perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, of PFOS. (7/13)
New Hampshire Bulletin: New Data Shows Hunger Is A ‘Really Big Issue’ For LGBTQ+ People In New Hampshire
One population of Granite Staters experiences “severe” food insecurity and insufficiency, according to experts – but their invisibility means that few efforts exist to help them. In New Hampshire, the most recent data from the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy reveals 29% of LGBTQ+ individuals face food insecurity, and 28% have an annual income below $24,000.Furthermore, during the average week, 13% of gay, lesbian, and non-heterosexual New Englanders did not have enough food to eat. (Pirani, 7/13)
Bloomberg: US Family Homelessness Rises By 40% In Cities Like New York, Chicago Post-Covid
Family homelessness in the US is on the rise in an alarming sign of how the increasing cost of goods, the ever-tightening housing supply and the end of most pandemic-era benefits are putting pressure on Americans. (Saraiva, 7/13)
AP: Online, 'Unalive' Means Death Or Suicide. Experts Say It Might Help Kids Discuss Those Things
Amber Samuels, a 30-year-old therapist in Washington, D.C., who has used “unalive” in her own social accounts, says that she has heard clients use it and similar euphemisms in speech. To her, “it doesn’t feel abnormal or unusual.” “I think when we avoid using specific language to talk about suicide and sexual assault, we risk contributing to a culture of silence and shame surrounding these topics,” Samuels says. “In the case of social media, though, it’s the avoidance of using the actual, uncensored word that allows awareness and conversations to even be possible.” (McMillan, 7/14)
Axios: 988 Hotline's Long Road Ahead
As it hits the one-year mark, most Americans still aren't aware the 988 national suicide prevention and mental health hotline exists — and few states have established long-term funding commitments to sustain it. Without more outreach and resources, the three-digit number could languish as the nation continues to grapple with its mental health crisis. (Moreno, 7/14)
If you are in need of help —
Dial 9-8-8 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.
