Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lung Risks From Smoking Marijuana May Be Worse Than Cigarettes: Study
USA Today: Marijuana May Be More Harmful To Lungs Than Cigarettes, Study Suggests
Smoking marijuana may do more damage to lungs than cigarettes, a new study suggests. The study, published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed journal Radiology, found marijuana may be linked to an increased risk of emphysema over smoking tobacco alone. (Rodriguez, 11/15)
NBC News: Smoking Marijuana Can Raise Risk Of Lung Disease, Chest Scans Indicate
The analysis by Canadian researchers, published Tuesday in Radiology, compared the chest scans of marijuana smokers and tobacco-only smokers who were matched according to age. They found that twice as many of those who inhaled cannabinoids developed paraseptal emphysema as people who smoked cigarettes only. (Carroll, 11/15)
In other marijuana news —
The Courier-Journal: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Signs Order To Partly Legalize Medical Marijuana
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order Tuesday to legalize the possession and use of medical marijuana by certain eligible individuals in the state, so long as it was purchased legally outside Kentucky and amounts to less than eight ounces. Kentucky is currently one of just 12 states to still outlaw marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes, despite public polling showing the legalization of medical marijuana is quite popular among its residents. (Sonka, 11/15)
Detroit Free Press: Certain Marijuana Products Sold At Green Culture In Flint Recalled
Michigan's Cannabis Regulatory Agency announced Tuesday it recalled certain products sold by the marijuana dispensary Green Culture in Flint after the agency tested its products and found they contained unacceptable levels of banned pesticides, heavy metals, mold and bacteria. (Roberts, 11/15)
In news about opioids and addiction —
Reuters: Opioid Overdose Reversal Drug Likely Safe For OTC Use, Says FDA
Opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone may be safe and effective for over-the-counter use in some forms, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday, potentially paving the way for its use federally. The FDA would still require data on individual products from manufacturers for them to be available over the counter at a federal level. (11/15)
Stat: Fentanyl Is Making It Harder To Start Addiction Treatment
Doctors are reporting a troubling trend when it comes to fentanyl. The powerful drug, they say, isn’t just causing overdoses — it’s also making it more difficult to begin addiction treatment. In particular, fentanyl appears more likely to cause severe withdrawal symptoms for patients put on buprenorphine, a key medication used to treat opioid use disorder. (Facher, 11/16)
Anchorage Daily News: Anchorage Police Plan To Start Carrying Overdose-Reversing Drug
The new policy, confirmed by a police spokeswoman on Tuesday, marks a departure from the longstanding practice of having Anchorage Fire Department paramedics, rather than police officers, carry the potentially lifesaving drug. (Berman, 11/15)
KHN: The Player-Coaches Of Addiction Recovery Work Without Boundaries
Sarah Wright stops by her peer support specialist’s hotel room-turned-office in this Denver suburb several times a day. But her visit on a Wednesday morning in mid-October was one of her first with teeth. The specialist, Donna Norton, had pushed Wright to go to the dentist years after homelessness and addiction had taken a toll on her health, down to the jawbone. Wright was still getting used to her dentures. “I haven’t had teeth in 12½, 13 years,” she said, adding that they made her feel like a horse. A new smile was Wright’s latest milestone as she works to rebuild her life, and Norton has been there for each step: opening a bank account, getting a job, developing a sense of her own worth. (Bichell, 11/16)
