Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Report Highlights Missing Health Authority Role In Cannabis Policy
AP: US Health Authorities Need To Play A Larger Role In Cannabis Policy, A New Report Says
With more Americans using ever-stronger marijuana, a federal advisory panel is calling for a public health approach that’s a big departure from “Just Say No.” Thursday’s report proposes a health-focused strategy with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention taking a larger role in cannabis policy than ever before. “We’d like the federal government to step up to provide some leadership in this area,” said Dr. Steven Teutsch of the University of Southern California, who chaired the committee behind the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report. (Johnson, 9/26)
AP: Kentucky Awards The First Business License For Its Startup Medical Cannabis Program
Kentucky awarded the first business license for its startup medical cannabis program on Thursday, selecting a laboratory that will be assigned to test the products before being offered to patients. Gov. Andy Beshear called it another step toward ensuring that Kentuckians suffering from a list of serious illnesses have access to safe products when the program launches at the start of 2025. (Schreiner, 9/26)
San Francisco Chronicle: Cheech And Chong Sue California Over New Marijuana Regulation
Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, best known for their comedy duo Cheech & Chong, have filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Public Health over newly enacted regulation prohibiting hemp products with any detectable THC. (Vaziri, 9/26)
In other health and wellness news —
NPR: 3D Mammograms May Help Find More Advanced Breast Cancers, New Research Finds
Three-dimensional imaging outperformed older digital mammography at reducing anxiety-producing callbacks for more breast cancer testing, a new study shows. The research, published this month in the journal Radiology also suggests the newer technology might find more worrisome cancers earlier during routine screenings. Lead author Dr. Liane Philpotts, a Yale School of Medicine radiology professor, hailed 3D mammography, also known as digital breast tomosynthesis or DBT, as “a win, win, win.” (Cohen, 9/26)
NBC News: 1 In 3 Teens Can't Get Tampons Or Pads During Their Periods, Study Finds
A third of teens and young adults in the U.S. can’t afford or otherwise access menstrual products, according to new research from Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. The study found that “period poverty” — that is, insufficient access to menstrual hygiene products and related education — appears to affect young people equally, despite differences in race, ethnicity, neighborhood or whether they have health insurance. (Edwards, 9/27)
The Washington Post: What Is PMDD? For These Sufferers, It’s A Life-Changing Monthly Struggle.
Hell week. Doom days. Brain screams. These are some of the different ways women describe living with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a condition characterized by extreme moods in the days leading up to the period. But it’s more than just moodiness. People with PMDD may experience extreme irritability, depression, anxiety and rage so severe that it interferes with their lives. Some people with PMDD have suicidal thoughts. (Sanford, 9/26)
The 19th: Social Isolation Could Be A Factor In Why More Older Men Are Dying From Extreme Heat
More than 2,000 older Swiss women won a historic lawsuit against their government this spring. The plaintiffs argued that worsening heat waves were putting their health at risk due to their gender and age. The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the government failed to protect its residents from the effects of the climate crisis. The lawsuit brought political and media attention to a sobering reality of the climate crisis: It takes a disproportionate toll on women and girls. (Kutz, 9/25)
