Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Triumph For Public Health': FDA Has Authority To Regulate E-Cigs Like Tobacco Products, Court Rules
The Washington Post: FDA Can Regulate E-Cigarettes Just Like Conventional Cigarettes, Appeals Court Says
The Food and Drug Administration can regulate e-cigarettes like it does conventional cigarettes, an appeals court said Tuesday, finding that the products are “indisputably highly addictive and pose health risks, especially to youth, that are not well understood.” The case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, brought by an e-cigarette manufacturer, was not about banning the sale of the devices and did not pose the question of whether e-cigarettes are more or less safe than traditional cigarettes. (Marimow, 12/10)
NPR: When Vaping Marijuana For Chronic Pain Leads To Lung Illness
As vaping has grown more popular in recent years, the trend has been fueled by the habit's pleasurable allure: Compared with smoking cigarettes or pot, vaping is discrete and less smelly. Vaping fluids come in hundreds of flavors. There's no tar or other byproducts of burning. And vape pens are high-tech, customizable and sleek. But none of that mattered to Paul Lubell when he decided to try vaping. He wasn't thinking about pleasure; he was just trying to avoid pain. The retired Navy veteran turned to vaping marijuana, hoping it would help him cope with his chronic, debilitating musculoskeletal pain. (Harris-Taylor, 12/11)
Boston Globe: Ban On Vape Sales In Massachusetts Ends Wednesday — What Happens Next?
Governor Charlie Baker’s ban on vape sales will lift Wednesday, nearly three months after it started amid an outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries. Baker’s public health council will vote on regulations Wednesday that could pave the way for some nicotine products to return to stores, albeit under tighter restrictions. (Martin, 12/10)
WBUR: The Mass. Ban On Vaping Product Sales Lifts Wednesday. Here's What You Need To Know
Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration plans to lift the emergency vaping products sales ban Wednesday during a meeting of the state's Public Health Council. That means some products will again be available for legal purchase, but the retail sale of flavored vaping liquids will remain illegal, under a recently passed state law. (Chen, 12/10)
The Associated Press: California Considers Calling THC In Pot A Risk To Moms-To-Be
More than three years after California voters broadly legalized marijuana, a state panel is considering if its potent, high-inducing chemical — THC — should be declared a risk to pregnant women and require warnings. Studies have indicated that a rising number of mothers-to-be have turned to marijuana products for relief from morning sickness and headaches, though it's effectiveness has not been backed by science. (Blood, 12/11)
