Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Teens Who Often Vape Have High Uranium, Lead Levels In Their Bodies
Teenagers who regularly puff away on their vape throughout the day could be exposing their bodies to potentially toxic metals. A new study led by researchers from the University of Nebraska has found that regular vapers between the ages of 13 and 17, who report using an e-cigarette at least eight times a day, have 30 percent more lead and twice as much uranium in their urine compared to their peers who only occasionally vape. (Cassella, 4/30)
Could vaping just one time put you at higher risk of heart failure? More research is pointing to the dangers of e-cigarettes. A new study presented at a recent American College of Cardiology scientific session followed more than 175,000 participants for nearly four years. They found that those who used electronic cigarettes at any point in their lives had a 19 percent higher risk of heart failure compared to never users. (Marshall, 4/29)
Advocates of a federal ban on menthol cigarettes have spent the better part of the last decade trying everything — from federal lawsuits to holding mock funerals outside the White House — to convince Washington policymakers to remove the minty substance from cigarettes. Now, it seems, advocates may just have to sit around and wait. (Florko, 4/30)
On the spread of tuberculosis, Powassan, and CWD —
After decreasing for 27 years, the number of U.S. residents with tuberculosis has increased every year since 2020, with 9,615 cases recorded last year in the 50 states and D.C., according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Searing, 4/29)
A Massachusetts town has confirmed its first case of Powassan virus, a tick-borne disease that has become increasingly more common in humans. A confirmed case of the disease has been reported in Sharon, Massachusetts, according to a release posted by the town on April 25, and the Sharon Health Department is warning residents to take precautions against contracting the disease. (DeLetter, 4/29)
Zombie deer disease, also known as chronic wasting disease (CWD), continues to spread across the U.S., threatening at-risk white-tailed deer – and potentially the hunters who kill and eat them. Indiana is the 33rd and latest state to report its first case of the disease. ... As the disease becomes more widespread, a new study from the University of Texas that examined the deaths of two hunters suggests, but does not prove, that it may be possible for zombie deer disease to be transmitted from animals to humans. (Loehrke and Petras, 4/29)
