Latest news with #THC
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Abortion pill crackdown, voting restrictions and trans 'bathroom bill' die in Texas House
Republican Texas lawmakers will claim victory on several conservative priorities as they return to their districts after the legislative session ends, despite Democrats unsuccessfully seeking to derail those proposals. The Legislature passed a bill to establish a school voucher program, clinching a "holy grail" wish list item that had long eluded Gov. Greg Abbott and his predecessor. Thanks to bills that have already passed, Texas will also put the Ten Commandments in every classroom, require state documents to reflect a person's sex assigned at birth, force sheriffs to help arrest migrants who are in the U.S. illegally and ban taxpayer-funded out-of-state abortion travel. Lawmakers are also poised to enact sweeping restrictions on library materials that minors can access and ban THC products entirely through legislation that has been opposed by almost all Democrats. But members of the hard right flank of the GOP are complaining that a number of their priorities languished in the House ahead of a key legislative deadline. Any Senate bills that hadn't preliminarily cleared the House by Tuesday cannot be passed during the regular legislative session, which ends June 2. However, major proposals may be revived in a special session if Abbott designates them as emergency items and calls lawmakers back to Austin. Parts of those bills could also be reshaped as amendments into remaining legislation. Here are some of the bills that died after not making the legislative deadline this week. A sweeping Republican-led proposal to crack down on abortion pills in Texas has run up against a legislative wall. Senate Bill 2880 would have allowed private citizens to sue organizations that mail drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol into Texas for $100,000 or more per violation, mimicking a 2021 law that critics dubbed the 'bounty hunter' ban. It would also have empowered Texas' attorney general to enforce the state's criminal abortion laws, including a ban originating in 1857, by suing violators on behalf of "unborn children of the residents of this state." Anti-abortion groups hoped the measure would cut off the influx of abortion pills that persists despite near-total bans enacted in 2021. Texans who terminate their own pregnancies cannot be held liable under the law, meaning they do not face legal consequences for self-managed abortions. Democrats, on the other hand, labeled the bill a 'bounty hunter bonanza' that shreds constitutional protections and judicial norms. The proposal would have prohibited state district judges from ruling on its constitutionality and allow those that do to be sued for $100,000 or more in damages. Both chambers held hours-long hearings on the legislation in April, and the bill passed the Senate on a party-line vote nearly a month ago. But after it advanced out of a House committee on Friday, the bill got stuck in limbo, never reaching the panel that sets the floor calendars. A bill that would have required Texans to prove their citizenship status when registering to vote, which opponents said could have disenfranchised Texans of their right to participate in elections, also won't pass this session. After the House State Affairs committee heard and voted on the bill, it was never scheduled on the lower chamber's calendar. Senate Bill 16 would have required voters to provide registrars with a document such as a birth certificate, passport or naturalization certificate to be eligible to cast a ballot in state or local elections. If a voter did not provide citizenship documents, they would have been able to vote only in federal races. The measure, authored by Mineola Republican Sen. Bryan Hughes and designated a priority by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, would have applied to new voters and retroactively to registered voters. The push to tighten Texas' voter registration relies on largely debunked claims that thousands of noncitizens appeared on the state's voter rolls. The proposed law, however, could have kept more than 1 million law-abiding voters who don't have easy access to a birth certificate or passport from registering, voting rights groups said. A bill that would have barred transgender individuals from using bathrooms and other private spaces aligning with their gender identity in public buildings, such as schools and government offices, saw no movement in the lower chamber this session. Senate Bill 240, by Galveston Republican Sen. Mayes Middleton, passed the upper chamber along party lines in April. A companion measure in the House never got a vote in the House State Affairs Committee. Dubbed the "Texas Women's Privacy Act," the bill would have directed state and local governments to prohibit people in public buildings from using restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities that do not correspond with the sex listed on their birth certificate. The provisions applied to spaces like the Texas Capitol, public schools and universities, city halls, county courthouses and public libraries. Proponents of so-called bathroom bills like SB 240 argue that the legislation would protect women from encountering men in public restrooms. Such bills are often aimed at transgender people who would not be able to use facilities aligning with their gender identity. Supporters of such bills say the measures promote women's safety. LGBTQ rights advocates argue they would jeopardize the safety of transgender Texans. In 2017, a sweeping Texas bathroom bill quietly died, amid forceful opposition by rights advocates and the business community despite months of public crusading by social conservatives on the issue. Two of Middleton's higher education bills died in the final days of the session after having initially gained momentum. Middleton, the Republican from Galveston who is also campaigning for attorney general, proposed Senate Bill 2595 to add a criminal penalty for protesters who wear a mask to conceal their identity or 'intentionally harass' or threaten another person in a public place. State lawmakers weighed a similar ban during an interim hearing before the session in response to an interim charge from Patrick to 'unmask' protesters following contentious pro-Palestinian demonstrators at several Texas universities in April 2024. Many demonstrators wore facial N95 masks during the protests and more than 150 Texans faced arrest. Middleton's bill passed the Senate on May 6 with the support of some Democrats. Although it was listed on the calendar on the last day for the House to pass bills to second reading, it was not presented on the floor, and was 'postponed' to June 3 — a gentle way to indicate the bill's death. A bill the House did pass by Sen. Brandon Creighton, SB 2972, would instruct campuses to bar protesters from wearing face coverings with the intent to intimidate, obscure identity or interfere with officials. Middleton's other high-profile higher education bill this session would have repealed the 2001 Texas Dream Act and prevented students without legal status from accessing in-state tuition or state financial aid, but it was taken off the intent calendar for the Senate on Monday, and will not have time to go before the House. A number of other legislative proposals died after Texas Democrats challenged them on procedural rules, or ran out of time before Tuesday's deadline. Those include: SB 241, a proposal to penalize cities each time they fail to enforce the state's homeless encampment ban. SB 2519 and House Bill 3879, which would have derailed Austin's multi-billion-dollar light rail project by throwing a wrench in its novel funding mechanism. SB 2858, labeled "Death Star 2.0," which would have let the state withhold sales tax revenue from cities and counties that violate a wide range of Texas laws, including on elections. SB 1927, which would have blocked cities and counties from banning the removal of ashe juniper trees. Environmental groups vehemently opposed the bill, saying it would threaten Golden-cheeked Warblers and potentially facilitate soil erosion. SB 781 and HB 2486, which would have required all law enforcement agencies to create a classified 'department file' for its employees. These would have included records of alleged misconduct. Austin voters in 2023 opted to make such information, which the city previously kept classified in a so-called 'G-file,' part of public record. Lawmakers may seek to work parts of now-dead bills into amendments on other legislation, but time is running out for that, too. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Abortion pill crackdown, trans 'bathroom bill' die in Texas House
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Legislature OKs expansion of medical marijuana program as THC ban heads to Abbott
After days of contentious back-and-forth between the two Texas legislative chambers, the Senate late Tuesday night approved an expansion to the state's medical marijuana program. House Bill 46, by Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, will expand the Texas Compassionate Use Program fourfold, upping the number of available dispensary licenses from the current three to 12 statewide. It passed the Senate unanimously after the House and Senate struck a deal to include chronic pain, terminal disease and hospice care as qualifying conditions for a cannabis prescription. The expanded medical program also adds aerosol cannabis products like vapes, along with patches and lotions. More: As Texas weighs banning consumable hemp containing THC, Austin shop sees 'stock buying' The deal marks a détente between the House and Senate on the subject as a sweeping ban on THC products is on its way to the governor's desk. The Senate had stripped House provisions for chronic pain as a qualifying condition for the Compassionate Use Program, drawing fierce blowback from House members who later pushed for the condition to be reinstated. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Senate want to ban intoxicating hemp products — which have been legal in Texas since 2019 — through Senate Bill 3, which was passed by both chambers in recent weeks. The House's version of the proposal instead called for increased regulation of THC product sales, but the upper chamber's version of the bill won the day. It's not yet clear if Gov. Greg Abbott plans to sign the bill. In a news conference Wednesday, during which Patrick displayed an array of THC products and sharply criticized members of the media for coverage of the THC ban and resulting inter-chamber conflict, the bill's author praised the TCUP expansion, which he said will still serve those who use THC medicinally while curbing dangerous hemp products. 'We promised on the front end, when we get rid of the bad stuff, we'll find a way to thread the needle for those that have found benefit,' said Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. 'I think it's the relief we promised. … We're expanding the things that we believe are legitimate needs that can be met through a responsible delivery system.' This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Legislature OKs expansion of medical marijuana program, THC ban
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
4 teens assaulted, robbed another teen during Norwalk drug deal, police say
DES MOINES, Iowa — Four teenagers have been charged as adults after police in Norwalk say they assaulted and robbed another teen during a drug deal. The Norwalk Police Department said the incident took place on Saturday, May 24 and started with a Norwalk teen conversing with someone over social media about a drug transaction. A plan to meet in the 900 block of East 17th Street in Indianola was set. Court documents filed in the case say the deal was to buy marijuana and a THC cartridge for $50. Chase suspect bitten by K9 after running from stolen truck, DMPD says Police said that when the victim showed up to complete the transaction, he was assaulted by four teens. They allegedly threatened to shoot him and stole his cell phone, an iPhone 14+. NPD said witnesses broke up the altercation, and police were called. The West Des Moines Police Department and the Warren County Sheriff's Office assisted NPD in locating three suspects who were arrested and charged with first-degree robbery, among other offenses. The fourth suspect in the robbery was identified later and arrested. One of the teens had two handguns on him during the incident. The weapons were seized. A preliminary hearing for the teens is scheduled for June 2nd. Pella Middle School teacher earns Golden Apple WHO 13 Farm Report: Wednesday, May 28th Iowan and her bell play key role in Scripps National Spelling Bee Gov. Reynolds to sign rural health care bill Wednesday No sign of missing Eddyville man after boat hits concrete in Des Moines River Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) Has Jim Cramer Seriously Worried Due To Medicaid Cutback
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC) is one of the largest hospital operators in America. Cramer rarely comments on the firm, and this particular show was the first time he mentioned Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC) his year. The firm's shares are up by 30% year-to-date as it has benefited from a strong fiscal first-quarter report issued at the end of April. Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC)'s fiscal first quarter saw the firm report $4.36 in earnings per share and $5.22 billion in revenue. Both of these beat analyst estimates of $3.17 and $5.14 billion. However, in his comments, Cramer warned about the impact of lower medical spending on the firm: 'The ones I'm [inaudible] worried about, I'm worried about. . . Tenet on the cutback in Medicaid. Because [it thrives] on Medicaid. . . .because they're gonna delay reimbursement or they're going to lower reimbursement. Because Medicaid, Medicaid is cut back.' A room full of medical personnel collaborating on a treatment plan for a patient. Meridian Funds mentioned Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC) in its Q4 2024 investor letter. Here is what the firm said: 'Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC) is one of the top ten U.S. operators of hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, and healthcare business process services. We initiated our position in late 2022, believing that the market's short-term focus on COVID related staffing and admissions challenges overshadowed the value of Tenet's long-term strategy of growing outpatient surgery centers. Tenet's execution in 2024 has been very strong, guided by consistent patient growth and the accelerated shift to outpatient surgery following its hospital divestitures. However, the stock experienced a sell-off during the quarter, driven by market concerns over new administration policies and weaker hospital admissions data from the late flu season. We view the sell-off as another example of market overreaction to near-term headlines overshadowing the company's long-term value creation strategy. In terms of position management, we had reduced our holding by nearly one-third prior to the sell-off on expectations that earnings growth—while still robust—would decelerate into 2025. As of period end, we see the valuation as compelling to hold given the long-term growth strategy in outpatient services—an area not likely to be affected by new administration policies.' Overall, THC ranks 7th on our list of stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. While we acknowledge the potential of THC, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than THC and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Smoking weed and consuming THC-laced edibles linked to early heart disease, study finds
Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. Healthy people who regularly smoked marijuana or consumed THC-laced edibles showed signs of early cardiovascular disease similar to tobacco smokers, a new small study found. 'To my knowledge, it's the first study looking at THC's impact on vascular function in humans,' said senior study author Matthew Springer, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. 'We're looking at a window in the future, showing the early changes that may explain why smoking marijuana has been linked to later heart disease,' Springer said. 'It appears the act of smoking and the THC itself both contribute to those changes in different ways.' Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the component of marijuana that provides a high. Prior research on mice found damage to blood vessels that supply oxygen to vital organs after exposure to marijuana smoke, Springer said. Whether marijuana smoke would impact the human vascular system, however, was unknown. 'We found that vascular function was reduced by 42% in marijuana smokers and by 56% in THC-edible users compared to nonusers,' lead study author Dr. Leila Mohammadi, an assistant researcher in cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco, said in an email. The research only shows an association, Springer said. 'We can only state that the cannabis users have poor vascular function, not that cannabis use causes poor vascular function,' he said via email. The findings on THC-laced edibles was surprising, said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver. 'Could it be that other forms of marijuana — teas, tinctures, edibles — are perhaps not as benign as we once thought?' said Freeman, who was not involved in the study. 'We need larger studies to make a better conclusion about this finding.' A single layer of endothelial cells lines all of the body's blood vessels. When functioning properly, these specialized cells release chemicals such as nitric oxide that control the relaxing and contracting of the canal, thus regulating blood flow. Healthy endothelium cells also play a role in local cell growth and help prevent blood clotting. When endothelial cells are inflamed, plaque buildup can increase in arteries over time, potentially causing heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. Damage to small blood vessels can also cause kidney and lung disease, comas, delirium, and dementia. The study, however, did not measure plaque, so the findings do not mean that blood vessels were currently blocked, Springer said. 'The vessels just don't grow in diameter in real time when they need to pass more blood, indicating an unhealthy vessel wall that presages later cardiovascular disease,' he said. Prior studies have found strong links between marijuana use and later cardiovascular disease. A February 2024 study found smoking, vaping or eating marijuana led to a significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke, even if a person had no existing heart conditions and did not smoke or vape tobacco. Stroke risk rose 42% and the risk of heart attack rose 25% if cannabis was used daily, and risk climbed as the number of days of use of marijuana rose, the study found. Using marijuana every day can raise a person's risk of coronary artery disease by one-third compared with those who never partake, a February 2023 study found. The American Heart Association advises people to refrain from smoking or vaping any substance, including cannabis products, because of the potential harm to the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Guidance released in 2020 pointed to studies that found heart rhythm abnormalities, such as tachycardia and atrial fibrillation, could occur within an hour after weed containing THC was smoked. The 55 participants in the study were divided into three groups: people who smoked (not vaped) marijuana three or more times a week for at least a year, people who consumed THC edibles at least three times a week for at least a year, and nonusers. None of the 18- to 50-year-old people in the study were tobacco smokers or vapers, and all had little exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. Researchers performed an ultrasound on the major artery in the upper right arm in each person, then applied an extremely tight blood pressure cuff for five minutes. After the cuff was removed, the artery was rescanned to see how well it had dilated, or widened, to handle the increased flow of blood, a process that needs the release of nitric oxide to occur. Damage to the endothelial cells that regulate dilation was related to the dose, according to the study. Study participants who used more marijuana had a greater risk of damage to blood vessels that carry oxygen to the body's organs. 'Higher cannabis use — whether smoked or ingested — is associated with poorer vascular function, highlighting the cardiovascular risks that increase with higher potency and frequency of use,' Mohammadi said. Additional tests of the neck and thigh checked the stiffness of each person's blood pressure walls. Compared with people who never used marijuana, cannabis users didn't appear to have additional stiffness of the walls of blood vessels, the study found. A separate analysis added blood serum from cannabis smokers and edible users to commercially purchased cultures of endothelial cell in the laboratory. Blood from people who used edibles laced with THC didn't appear to harm the cells — they continued to produce adequate nitric oxide. However, the endothelial cells incubated in serum from marijuana smokers released 27% less nitric oxide than those treated with blood from nonsmokers. That evidence is similar to what is found in tobacco, Springer said, pointing to a prior study by his team showing endothelial cells incubated in serum from tobacco smokers released 39% less nitric oxide than nonsmokers. 'The observations that marijuana smokers and THC users each have poor vascular function might make people conclude that the THC is responsible for all of this and the smoke is irrelevant,' Springer said. That would be an ill-advised conclusion, according to Springer, as there are reasons to believe that marijuana smoke itself is as responsible as THC for the damage to blood vessels. 'Rats exposed to marijuana smoke with no cannabinoids at all also had vascular and cardiac impairment, plus tobacco smoke is known to cause heart disease and it has no THC,' Springer said. 'So you do yourself no favors by switching from smoking tobacco to marijuana. Smoking marijuana just gives you a double hit — the smoke and the THC,' he said. As for marijuana edibles, teas, tinctures and the like? 'In people, there's like a Goldilocks zone for everything — too much doesn't do right, too little doesn't do right, but just right does fine,' Freeman said. 'We need further investigations to see if there is a Goldilocks zone to be found.'
