Generational Ban On Tobacco Begins In Massachusetts Town

The Boston Globe: Brookline’s ‘Tobacco-Free Generation’ Bylaw Now In Place
Brookline officials are advising community members that a new bylaw prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after Jan. 1, 2000 is now in effect. The measure, proposed by a citizens’ petition and adopted by Town Meeting in November 2020, took effect in late September following its approval in July by the office of Attorney General Maura Healey. Referred to as a “tobacco-free generation” policy, the ban is intended to prevent those born after Jan. 1, 2000 from becoming tobacco users. Officials said none of the town’s 18 licensed tobacco sellers have been cited for violations of the bylaw since it took effect. (Laidler, 12/21)

In other news from across the U.S. —

Los Angeles Times: Imperial County Medical Groups Decry 'Unproven' Virus Meds
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors defied the warnings of medical groups Tuesday by hearing a presentation from two doctors who have promoted COVID-19 treatments, including ivermectin, that authorities say have not been proved to work. The decision alarmed the Imperial County Medical Society, which had urged supervisors to “not contribute to the dissemination of false or misleading information by legitimizing unproven treatments.” In a statement, the group said that “prevention and treatment of COVID-19 must follow the science.” (Alpert Reyes and Vives, 12/21)

Charleston Gazette-Mail: W.Va. Nursing Gets $45M From CARES Act; State Has 10 Days To Allot Remaining $77M
With just 10 days remaining for West Virginia to allocate more than $125 million in CARES Act funds, Gov. Jim Justice announced Tuesday that $45 million of that money will go toward attracting, training and retaining nurses in the state. The announcement came as the hospital systems approach a “breaking point” because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, the West Virginia Hospital Association said leadership expects to see hospitalizations for COVID-19 increase to levels not seen before in the Mountain State as the new year approaches. The $45 million from the CARES Act will help fully fund the West Virginia Nursing Scholarship program and will assist in developing loan repayment programs for nurses who work in the state. (Coyne, 12/21)

AP: Addiction Treatment Center For Women Expanding
A Kentucky addiction treatment center for women is expanding. Addiction Recovery Care said in a statement that its residential center in Owenton is increasing from 16 beds to nearly 100. The facility provides several services including detoxification, in-house and outpatient treatment and career opportunities for women with substance use disorders, officials said. (12/22)

AP: As COVID Fueled The Drug Crisis, Native Americans Hit Worst 
The medicine man told her she should soon give her son back to the earth. Rachel Taylor kissed her fingertips and pressed them to the crow sewn onto a leather bag nestled on the couch in the living room. “Oh, my baby,” she whispered, and hugged the buckskin satchel filled with his ashes. Nearly a year ago, she had opened his bedroom door and screamed so loud she woke the neighbor. Kyle Domrese was face down on his bed, one of more than 100,000 Americans lost in a year to overdoses as the COVID-19 pandemic fueled America’s addiction disaster. (Galofaro, 12/22)

Health News Florida: Youth Vaping Trend Is Rebounding In Florida, Ladapo Says 
Cigarette use by young people in Florida has plummeted this year, to 1.1 percent, but state Surgeon General Dr. Joseph says the vaping trend is rebounding. “The not-so-great news is that in the same year about 18% of high schoolers in Florida reported using a vaping device. So a lot of people are vaping," Ladapo said this past week while addressing a meeting of the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet. Laura Corbin, bureau chief for Tobacco Free Florida, told the group that while vaping use by youths was 30 percent higher this year than 2017, there is a statistical decrease over the past two years. (12/20)