Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Links Health Issues Later In Life With Using Cannabis Before Age 15
NPR: Cannabis Use Before Age15 Is Linked To Physical And Mental Health Issues
Teens who start using cannabis before age 15 are more likely to use the drug often later in their lives. They are also more likely to develop mental and physical health problems in young adulthood compared to their peers who did not use the drug in adolescence. Those are the findings of a new study in JAMA Network Open. (Chatterjee, 10/29)
More health and wellness news —
Bloomberg: Character.AI To Ban Children Under 18 From Talking To Its Chatbots
Artificial intelligence startup Character.AI will ban kids from having conversations with chatbots on its platform following growing pressure from lawmakers and a raft of lawsuits alleging the company’s so-called characters are responsible for harms to children. The company said Wednesday that by Nov. 25 it will stop users under the age of 18 from having open-ended conversations with its chatbots, which users can create and talk to. (Metz, 10/29)
The New York Times: In Senior Homes, A.I. Technology Is Sensing Falls Before They Happen
Today’s anti-fall technology has come a long way from ‘I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!’ Here’s how it works. (Cohen, 10/29)
Newsweek: Sitting Too Long Is Bad For You. These Foods May Help
We’re often told to move more—by exercising, stretching, or simply standing up—to combat the effects of prolonged sitting. But what we eat may also play a key role in offsetting the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. This is the conclusion of a team of researchers from the University of Birmingham in England, who discovered that eating flavanol-rich foods—such as tea, berries, apples and cocoa—can help protect vascular health in men from the harmful effects of prolonged sitting. (Notarantonio, 10/29)
Katie Couric Media: A Stroke Survivor Shares the Raw Reality of Recovery
How long does stroke recovery take? A patient explains the timeline of learning to speak and move again and what the process is like. (Meyerson and Zuckerman, 10/29)
On food allergies and Halloween —
MedPage Today: Dubai Chocolate Puts Clinicians On Alert For Allergy Risks
Clinicians are raising concerns that trendy "Dubai-style chocolate" could be landing more food allergy patients in the emergency department, especially as Halloween approaches. Some may not realize that pistachio is a key ingredient, but that's not the only challenge, experts said. The bars often contain many allergens -- including other nuts, sesame, wheat, and milk -- and not all of these may be disclosed, as labeling standards can vary with imported products. (Fiore, 10/28)
North Carolina Health News: Food Allergies Can Make Halloween Tricky To Navigate
For many, Halloween is a fun-filled night with clever costumes, giant skeletons standing sentinel over plastic boneyards littered with rubbery, bloodied extremities and glowing jack-o-lanterns guarding bowls of treats. While many sweet-toothed trick-or-treaters delight in the sugary goodness awaiting them beyond the mazes of pseudo-spooky obstacles, All Hallows Eve can be a real fright night for those with food allergies and sensitivities — and for their caregivers. (Blythe, 10/28)
