Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The Kids Are Alright: Teenage Smoking, Drinking Rates Slip To New Lows
The New York Times: Smoking And Drinking Rates Among U.S. Teenagers Fall To New Lows
Smoking and drinking among teenagers fell to new lows in 2015, new federal data show, as young Americans continued to shift away from the habits of their parents. Just 9.6 percent of adolescents, ages 12 to 17, reported using alcohol in 2015, down from 17.6 percent in 2002, according to the data. Far fewer adolescents smoke every day: about 20 percent in 2015, down from 32 percent in 2002. (Tavernise, 9/8)
Los Angeles Times: No, Apple's New AirPods Won't Give You Cancer, Experts Say
Technology analysts have been calling Apple’s decision to eliminate the earphone jack on its new iPhone 7 a risky business move. But some potential users of the new smartphone wonder whether the company is asking them to take on some health risk as well. Unless iPhone 7 users adopt a workaround that would let them plug their earphones into the device’s charging jack, they will need to don wireless headphones or earpieces. But is it safe to put a radiation-emitting earphone device directly in contact with one’s head? (Healy, 9/8)
NPR: Is It Ever OK To Use Marijuana While Pregnant?
Between 2 percent and 5 percent of women say they use marijuana while pregnant, according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. And while harm to the fetus is certainly plausible since the drug crosses the placenta, the evidence has been spotty. Now a review and analysis of 31 previously published studies has found no independent connection between a mother's pot use and adverse birth events. But the doctors say that doesn't mean it's OK to partake. (Hobson, 9/8)
The Boston Globe: Should Gluten-Free Orders In A Restaurant Require A Doctor’S Note?
Forget getting carded for alcohol — if you want to order gluten-free food at the White Moose Cafe in Dublin, you’ll have to provide a doctor’s note. After a customer inquired about gluten-free pancakes without knowing what “celiac” meant, owner Paul Stenson posted the following on the restaurant’s Facebook page Saturday morning: “From now on, guests who demand gluten-free food are required to produce a doctor’s note which states that you suffer from coeliac [the spelling used in Ireland] disease. Guests following a gluten-free fad, who don’t even know what gluten is, can cop the [expletive] on and eat regular food like everybody else.” (Rao, 9/8)
Kaiser Health News: Shhh! America’s Most Common Workplace Injury Is Hearing Loss
Eight years ago, Jeff Ammon, now 55, began noticing a feeling of pressure in his ears every day after work. Over the next months, when his symptoms progressed into a slight loss of hearing and sensitivity to noise, he became worried. Ammon, a construction worker for 32 years, eventually started wearing ear protection hoping this would address these complaints — but it was too late. (Tan, 9/9)
