Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Mexico Leads Nation In Alcohol-Related Deaths
AP: CDC: New Mexico Has Highest Rate For Alcohol-Related Deaths
According to a recently published report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New Mexico continues to have the highest rate of alcohol-related deaths in the country. New Mexico’s alcohol-related death rate of 52.3 per 100,000 population was almost twice the U.S. rate for the years 2011 through 2015. (8/16)
Also —
AP: UNH Gets Grant To Design Programs To Help Avoid Opioids
The University of New Hampshire has received a grant for nearly $1 million to provide free online resources and in-person workshops to help people manage chronic pain and avoid the pitfalls of addictive opioids. UNH Cooperative Extension will partner with the New Hampshire State Opioid Respnse Team to increase opportunities in rural communities to engage in prevention activities such as the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program and online education and skill building. They also want to increase training for health care professionals on alternative pain management strategies and preventing opioid misuse in patient populations. (8/16)
The Washington Post: Canada Drug Overdoses Surge During Coronavirus Pandemic; Advocates Want Decriminalization
The novel coronavirus was on the march across Canada, but it was a different public health crisis that turned Shannon Krell's world upside down. Her brother hadn’t shown up for work, which was unusual. She called the police to have someone check on the 46-year-old, but a friend arrived first and made the sad discovery. (Coletta, 8/16)
Boston Globe: Marijuana Company Will Destroy $2.6 Million Inventory Of Year-Old Vapes
A Massachusetts marijuana company plans to destroy $2.6 million of aging cannabis vapes, saying consumers have no confidence in the state’s system for certifying that the devices are free of lead and other toxic heavy metals. Temescal Wellness, which operates dispensaries in Framingham, Hudson, and Pittsfield, said Friday that it will dispose of more than 40,000 vape cartridges that have been sitting in storage since last year’s temporary ban on their sale. (Adams, 8/14)
