Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Using Marijuana Linked To Increased Risk Of Needing ERs, Hospitalization
CNN: Marijuana Use Linked To Higher Risk Of Emergencies And Hospitalization, Study Finds
Using recreational marijuana is associated with a higher risk of emergency room care and being hospitalized for any reason, a new study has found. "Cannabis use is not as benign and safe as some might think," said study author Nicholas Vozoris, assistant professor and clinician investigator in the division of respirology at the department of medicine at the University of Toronto. "Our study demonstrates that the use of this substance is associated with serious negative outcomes, specifically, ED (emergency department) visits and hospitalizations," Vozoris said in an email. (LaMotte, 6/27)
Stat: What We Know — And Don't — About Why The FDA Banned Juul
Even some of the nation’s top tobacco experts were surprised by the Food and Drug Administration’s stated rationale for pulling Juul off the market: It said it had concerns about the company’s toxicology data. Some of the FDA’s statements hinted at the potential for public health concerns with Juul products. The agency noted, for example, that Juul hadn’t adequately answered the FDA’s questions about its worry that caustic chemicals could leach from the company’s proprietary pods. (Florko, 6/28)
AP: Families Brace For Changes To Pandemic-Era Free School Meals
The pandemic-era federal aid that made school meals available for free to all public school students — regardless of family income levels — is ending, raising fears about the effects in the upcoming school year for families already struggling with rising food and fuel costs. For families already strained by inflation and the end of other federal help like expanded child tax credits, advocates say cuts to the aid could mean turning more frequently to food banks. (Rathke, 6/27)
CIDRAP: CDC, WHO Note Latest Kids' Unexplained Hepatitis Cases
Researchers from the CDC and their state and territorial health partners detailed their interim findings in a Jun 24 early online edition Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). They include 296 patients who were diagnosed as having unexplained hepatitis between Oct 1, 2021, and Jun 14, with a detailed analysis of 123 patients. Of the total, 18 kids needed liver transplant and 11 died. In a separate weekly case-count update, the CDC said as of Jun 22, 305 cases have been reported from 42 states or territories. (Schnirring, 6/27)
KHN: ‘American Diagnosis’: Indigenous Advocates Work For Better Reproductive Care
‘Rezilience,’ Season 4 of the ‘American Diagnosis’ podcast, traces the resilience of Indigenous peoples in the U.S. taking action to protect the health and well-being of their communities. (6/28)
