Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Flesh-Eating Bacteria Found In Seaweed Bloom Nearing Florida
Boston Herald: Florida-Bound Seaweed Blob Contains Flesh-Eating Bacteria, Study Shows
Most people were already aware of the 5,000-mile long sargassum bloom making its way toward Florida — and possibly Alabama — beaches, but thanks to a new study, there’s more to be concerned about than just the stench which accompanies the bloom. Florida Atlantic University has released a study which found that sargassum bloom contains both the Vibrio bacteria and plastic marine debris, creating what the study’s authors called a “perfect pathogen storm” with significant health risks to both humans and marine life. (6/1)
Politico: Florida Recreational Marijuana Effort Clears Crucial Hurdle
The effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida crossed a major hurdle but still faces a likely challenge from the state’s attorney general. Florida’s Department of State reported that the proposed ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana gathered enough signatures to put it on the ballot in 2024. (Ritchie, 6/1)
The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: Ohio Supreme Court Says Abortion Rights Amendment Does Not Require Split Proposal
The Ohio Supreme Court declined a request Thursday from two anti-abortion activists to require that the Ohio Ballot Board divide the abortion rights constitutional amendment into two or more separate proposals, which would make it harder to pass at the ballot box. Thursday’s decision is one less hurdle for backers of the constitutional amendment proposal, who must collect roughly 413,000 signatures by July 5 to get on November ballots. (Hancock, 6/1)
Coastal Review Online: States Underestimate Extreme Heat Hazard Risk
State-by-state emergency plans aimed at minimizing the impacts of natural disasters overwhelmingly understate extreme heat as a hazard to human health, according to a Duke University analysis. The recently released policy brief, “Defining Extreme Heat as a Hazard: A Review of Current State Hazard Mitigation Plans,” highlights the need for states to better evaluate the growing threat of extreme heat as the climate changes, identify populations of people most vulnerable to high temperatures, and implement plans to educate and assist those populations. (Talton, 6/2)
Minnesota Public Radio: New Law Seeks To Stem Rising Costs Of Disability Claims While Also Providing PTSD Treatment
Almost 800 police officers around the state have filed duty disability claims for PTSD since 2019. Many of these officers, said Rep. Kaohly Vang Her, DFL-St. Paul, were leaving their departments with this serious diagnosis without receiving medical treatment. “We want to ensure they get the treatment they need,” Her said, adding that there’s a need to destigmatize that treatment. (Collins, 6/1)
Axios: Magic Mushrooms Go Mainstream In Colorado
After Coloradans voted to legalize psilocybin in 2022, "magic mushrooms" are now becoming more mainstream, with a first-of-its-kind study and a national psychedelic conference on the horizon. The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora this month announced it would launch the first modern-era psilocybin clinical trial for depression this fall. (Hernandez, 5/31)
The 19th: Can Americans Really Make A Free Choice About Dying?
On April 25, four disability rights organizations sued California state agencies and officials in an attempt to overturn the End of Life Option Act, a seven-year-old law that allows doctors to prescribe lethal medication to people who have six months or less to live. The plaintiffs assert that the law violates the Americans With Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act—which form the foundation for disability rights law in the United States. (Luterman, 5/31)
