Influence of mothers, peers linked to drop in early smoking
A new study found that children born in the United Kingdom in the early 2000s were much less likely to have smoked cigarettes at an early age than children born 30 years earlier—and the drop may be explained…
Marijuana and public health
In this week’s episode: As more states legalize recreational use of marijuana, we examine the potential public health benefits and concerns, plus the growing body of evidence about the negative health effects of synthetic chemicals known as phthalates.
Tight regulation of marijuana needed in Massachusetts to protect youth
There’s reason for both enthusiasm and caution when it comes to the state law that will legalize marijuana for those for those age 21 and older that was approved November 8, 2016 by Massachusetts voters, according to a…
New FDA regulations on e-cigarettes a “mixed bag”
May 9, 2016 -- E-cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and hookah tobacco will soon be regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and their sale will be banned to anyone under age 18, it was announced May 5.…
Proposed smoking ban in public housing could improve health of millions
A proposal from the U.S. Office of Housing and Urban Development to make all of the nation’s public housing smoke-free represents a “an unparalleled opportunity” to improve the health of millions of low-income individuals, according to an article…
E-cigarette ads targeting millions of teens
More than 18 million middle and high school students in America—7 out of 10—saw electronic cigarette ads in 2014, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many of these ads,…
Getting residents on board with proposed smoking ban in public housing
December 14, 2015 -- Under a new federal proposal, smoking would be banned in all public housing in the United States within several years. On December 3, 2015, about 35 experts from around the country—federal officials, representatives from…
E-cigarettes: potential benefits, harms
E-cigarettes may help reduce smokers’ exposure to toxins, but they also may cause harm, according to Vaughan Rees, deputy director of the Center for Global Tobacco Control at Harvard School of Public Health. Interviewed on KUOW (Puget Sound…