Skin-Lightening Cream Put A Woman Into A Coma. It Could Happen Again.

A Sacramento woman is in a coma after using a face cream from Mexico. It is the nation’s first case of methylmercury poisoning from a cosmetic, and public health officials can do almost nothing to prevent other contaminated cosmetics from hitting the shelves.

States Target Vaping With Bans. In California, The Action Is Local.

Several states have adopted bans on vaping products, but California isn’t going that far. Instead, cities and counties in the Golden State are stepping in to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products within their jurisdictions — or ban the sale of e-cigarettes altogether.

Want To Reduce Suicides? Follow The Data — To Medical Offices, Motels And Even Animal Shelters

An Oregon epidemiologist is using data to find patterns in suicides, then offering prevention training at the motels where people keep taking their lives, the animal shelter where they give away their pets, the pain clinics where patients struggle. Her model is spreading to New York, California and elsewhere.

Invasive Mosquitoes Plunge Deeper Into California

Invasive mosquito species capable of carrying dangerous viruses such as Zika, dengue and yellow fever have been detected in 16 California counties. There’s no evidence the mosquitoes have transmitted these diseases within the state, but health officials urge residents to take steps to slow their spread.

Camouflaged Vaping Devices Are Hoodwinking Parents And Schools

The vaping hoodie. The vaping watch. The vaping phone case. Each ready to deliver a puff of nicotine (or marijuana) anywhere, anytime. The vaping market is crowded with sleek, camouflaged devices that have teachers and parents struggling to monitor illicit usage of a product that has surged in popularity among high schoolers.

Voices: How Should California Address The Needs Of Its Aging Population?

By 2030, an estimated 1 in 5 Californians will be 65 or older, and the state is creating a “master plan” to address their needs. Lawmakers, advocates, local officials and others gathered in Sacramento on Monday to tackle issues of greatest concern, such as long-term care and housing for low-income seniors.