Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Oklahoma Governor Vetoes Bill That Tried To Limit Medical Marijuana
Oklahoman: Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Regulations Vetoed By Gov. Stitt
Gov. Kevin Stitt has vetoed a medical marijuana regulation bill that would have added restrictions on who can get patient cards and how much THC can be in a single serving. The bill also included several other provisions meant to curtail illegal operations and, according to its author, move Oklahoma toward a true medical program. (Denwalt, 6/12)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
Military.Com: Troops In Navy, Marine Corps Barracks Guaranteed Right To Healthy, Safe Housing
The sea services have rolled out new policies for barracks and unaccompanied officer housing that allow incoming residents to refuse rooms considered uninhabitable based on standards set by the Navy and Marine Corps. Lt. Gen. Edward Banta, deputy commandant for Marine Corps installations and logistics, issued a service-wide message June 6 guaranteeing safe, functional, environmentally healthy barracks in good working order and giving Marines the right not only to refuse the housing but encouraging them to report issues without fear of retaliation or retribution. (Kime, 6/12)
The New York Times: Young Environmentalists Bring Climate Case To Trial In Montana
A landmark climate change trial opened on Monday in Montana, where a group of young people are contending that the state’s embrace of fossil fuels is destroying pristine environments, upending cultural traditions and robbing young residents of a healthy future. The case, more than a decade in the making, is the first of a series of similar challenges pending in various states as part of an effort to increase pressure on policymakers to take more urgent action on emissions. (Baker, 6/12)
Anchorage Daily News: Alaska’s First-Ever Rabid Moose Case Prompts Higher Rabies Surveillance In State
A moose acting aggressively in a Northwest Alaska community tested positive for rabies this month, marking the first rabid moose case detected in the state — and North America overall. The case has prompted Alaska officials to increase rabies surveillance across a large swath of the state. (Naiden, 6/12)
USA Today: 50 Sickened By 'Styrene' From Cured-In-Place Pipe Project Near School
Dozens of teenagers streamed into the school health office complaining of headaches, light-headedness, watering eyes, sore throats, irritated noses and vomiting. At least 40 students and six staff members fell ill, and about 50 were dismissed early, as school officials scrambled to identify the source of the smell. It originated, they soon learned, from a nearby sewer project that used an increasingly popular, but problematic, method for rehabilitating old or damaged underground utility lines called cured-in-place pipe lining. (Le Coz, 6/11)
Kansas City Star: Concert Attack Highlights 911 Wait In KC. It’s Getting Worse
Kansas City police have failed for several years to meet national standards on answering 911 calls. It’s a problem that is just getting worse, according to data on 911 hold times and response times. It’s also a problem public officials have sounded alarms about before. (Cronkleton and Spoerre, 6/12)
