Latest news with #childrenshealth
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 days ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
UK Ban on Disposable Vapes Goes into Effect
A ban on disposable vapes goes into effect across the UK on Sunday in a bid to protect children's health and tackle a "throwaway" culture. "For too long, single-use vapes have blighted our streets as litter and hooked our children on nicotine," junior environment minister Mary Creagh said. She said the government was calling "time on these nasty devices" -- a type of e-cigarette which are very popular with young people -- and banning sales of single-use vapes or their supply in a crackdown on UK corner shops and supermarkets. Those caught flouting the ban will face a £200 fine ($269), while repeat offenders risk up to two years in prison, AFP reported. Young people and children in particular have been attracted to cheap and colorful disposable vapes, which have snazzy flavors such as mint, chocolate, mango or watermelon, since they were introduced in the UK in 2021. In 2024, nearly five million disposable vapes were thrown away each week, according to Material Focus, an independent UK-based non-profit. More than 40 tons of lithium, a key metal used in the technology industry, was discarded each year along with single-use vapes -- enough to power 5,000 electrical vehicles, the NGO said. Fire services have also warned about the risk of discarded vapes catching light among household rubbish. "Every vape has potential to start a fire if incorrectly disposed of," said Justin Greenaway, commercial manager at electronic waste processing company SWEEEP Kuusakoski. The new law, first proposed by the previous Conservative government, also aims to stem a rise in vaping. "This new law is a step towards reducing vaping among children, while ensuring products are available to support people to quit smoking," said Caroline Cerny, deputy chief executive for health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). A recent ASH survey said 11 percent of adults vape, or about 5.6 million people, and 18 percent of 11 to 17 year olds -- about 980,000 under-18s. Among vapers, some 52 percent of young adults aged between 18 to 24 preferred single-use vapes. The long-term health risks of vaping remain unclear. E-cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful elements in tobacco smoke. But they do still contain highly addictive nicotine. The upcoming ban has already led to a fall in disposable vapes. According to ASH, the use of disposables by 18-24-year-old vapers fell from 52 percent in 2024 to 40 percent in 2025. The UK ban follows similar European moves. Belgium and France became the first EU countries to ban sales of disposable vapes. Ireland is also preparing to introduce new restrictions. But critics have argued many users will simply switch to refillable or reusable vaping devices, which will limit the impact on nicotine consumption. And industry experts say the ban could lead to more illegal products entering the UK market. The bill "only makes it illegal to sell disposable vapes -- it does not prohibit their use," warned Dan Marchant, director of Vape Club, the UK's largest online vape retailer. "We risk a surge of illegal and potentially dangerous items flooding the black market."
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
New Jersey kindergartners step into the role of doctors, nurses with teddy bears as patients
It was a different kind of field trip for a few kindergarten students in Camden on Friday: seeing inside an ambulance and then inside a hospital for Cooper Hospital's annual Teddy Bears to the Rescue event. Here, teddy bears become patients, and the medical staff guide the students through diagnosing and treating them using real medical tools and equipment — things like x-rays and heart imaging. CBS Philadelphia CBS Philadelphia CBS Philadelphia "This helps to increase their familiarity to get comfortable with who they might be seeing in the event they ever have to come back," Max Kursh from Cooper Hospital said. "We help to ease their anxiety around coming to the hospital." Six-year-old Messiah named his teddy bear Blueberry. "He went outside without a coat, and then he got sick," Messiah said. This group imagined all kinds of situations. "She was riding her scooter without a helmet then she fell off then she broke her leg," Sylee said. CBS Philadelphia CBS Philadelphia CBS Philadelphia Physical therapist Delia Tarantino also had the opportunity to explain why wheelchairs and crutches are sometimes necessary. "The coolest part is just getting to work with the kids, getting them comfortable being here, and teaching them what we do everyday," Tarantino said. Along with some prevention lessons, like swimming safety, the students also learned about staying healthy and away from the hospital.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
UK's ban on disposable vapes sparks debate on effectiveness
A ban on disposable vapes goes into effect across the UK on Sunday in a bid to protect children's health and tackle a 'throwaway' culture. 'For too long, single-use vapes have blighted our streets as litter and hooked our children on nicotine,' junior environment minister Mary Creagh said. She said the government was calling 'time on these nasty devices' – a type of e-cigarette which are very popular with young people – and banning sales of single-use vapes or their supply in a crackdown on UK corner shops and supermarkets. Those caught flouting the ban will face a £200 (US$270) fine, while repeat offenders risk up to two years in prison. Young people and children in particular have been attracted to cheap and colourful disposable vapes, which have snazzy flavours such as mint, chocolate, mango or watermelon, since they were introduced in the UK in 2021. A display of disposable vapes in a shop in Liverpool. Photo: AFP In 2024, nearly five million disposable vapes were thrown away each week, according to Material Focus, an independent UK-based non-profit.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
UK ban on disposable vapes goes into effect
LONDON: A ban on disposable vapes goes into effect across the UK on Sunday in a bid to protect children's health and tackle a 'throwaway' culture. 'For too long, single-use vapes have blighted our streets as litter and hooked our children on nicotine,' junior environment minister Mary Creagh said. She said the government was calling 'time on these nasty devices' — a type of e-cigarette which are very popular with young people — and banning sales of single-use vapes or their supply in a crackdown on UK corner shops and supermarkets. Those caught flouting the ban will face a £200 fine, while repeat offenders risk up to two years in prison. Young people and children in particular have been attracted to cheap and colorful disposable vapes, which have snazzy flavours such as mint, chocolate, mango or watermelon, since they were introduced in the UK in 2021. In 2024, nearly five million disposable vapes were thrown away each week, according to Material Focus, an independent UK-based non-profit. More than 40 tons of lithium, a key metal used in the technology industry, was discarded each year along with single-use vapes — enough to power 5,000 electrical vehicles, the NGO said. Fire services have also warned about the risk of discarded vapes catching light among household rubbish. 'Every vape has potential to start a fire if incorrectly disposed of,' said Justin Greenaway, commercial manager at electronic waste processing company SWEEEP Kuusakoski. The new law, first proposed by the previous Conservative government, also aims to stem a rise in vaping. 'This new law is a step toward reducing vaping among children, while ensuring products are available to support people to quit smoking,' said Caroline Cerny, deputy chief executive for health charity Action on Smoking and Health . A recent ASH survey said 11 percent of adults vape, or about 5.6 million people, and 18 percent of 11 to 17 year olds — about 980,000 under-18s. Among vapers, some 52 percent of young adults aged between 18 to 24 preferred single-use vapes. The long-term health risks of vaping remain unclear. E-cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful elements in tobacco smoke. But they do still contain highly addictive nicotine. The upcoming ban has already led to a fall in disposable vapes. According to ASH, the use of disposables by 18-24-year-old vapers fell from 52 percent in 2024 to 40 percent in 2025. The UK ban follows similar European moves. Belgium and France became the first EU countries to ban sales of disposable vapes. Ireland is also preparing to introduce new restrictions. But critics have argued many users will simply switch to refillable or reusable vaping devices, which will limit the impact on nicotine consumption. And industry experts say the ban could lead to more illegal products entering the UK market. The bill 'only makes it illegal to sell disposable vapes — it does not prohibit their use,' warned Dan Marchant, director of Vape Club, the UK's largest online vape retailer. 'We risk a surge of illegal and potentially dangerous items flooding the black market.'
CNN
2 days ago
- General
- CNN
Covid-19 shots for healthy children remain on CDC vaccine schedule despite Kennedy's pledge to remove them
Vaccines Respiratory viruses Children's health Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink Follow The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its immunization schedule for children after US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s announcement this week that Covid-19 vaccines would be removed from the list of recommended shots for healthy children and pregnant women. However, the vaccines remain on the schedule for kids, although with a slightly different designation. Instead of being listed as 'recommended' by the CDC, they are now listed as 'recommended vaccination based on shared clinical decision-making,' meaning healthy children – those who don't have an underlying condition that raises their risk of severe illness – can get the shots after consulting with a health care provider. According to the CDC, such a provider would be anyone who routinely administers vaccines, including doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and pharmacists. A vaccine listed on the schedule in this category is required to be covered by insurance with no cost-sharing, meaning no co-pays for patients, according to the CDC. Many of the agency's information pages continue to recommend the Covid-19 vaccine for pregnant women, but the adult immunization schedule has been changed to specify that the recommendation applies only to adults who aren't pregnant. 'The old COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children under 18 and for pregnant women have been removed from the CDC vaccine schedule,' HHS press officer Emily Hilliard said in a statement Friday. 'The CDC and HHS encourage individuals to talk with their healthcare provider about any personal medical decision. Under the leadership of Secretary Kennedy, HHS is restoring the doctor-patient relationship. If a parent desires their healthy child to be vaccinated, their decision should be based on informed consent through the clinical [judgment] of their healthcare provider,' the statement said. The change to the vaccine schedule comes days after Kennedy posted a video on social media saying it had happened. 'As of today, the Covid vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,' Kennedy said in the video Tuesday, standing beside FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. 'Last year, the Biden administration urged healthy children to get yet another Covid shot, despite the lack of any clinical data to support the repeat booster strategy in children.' The announcement was met with dismay from parents and pediatricians who feared that kids and pregnant women might lose insurance coverage for the vaccines. 'It's been a bit disheartening, to be honest,' said Fatima Ka, co-founder of the nonprofit grassroots group Protect Their Future, which advocated for kids' access to Covid-19 vaccines throughout the pandemic. 'A lot of parents right now have been doing everything they can. They've been calling their representatives, their health departments, anyone who will listen, anyone who is accountable to the public. And it just felt like today we were heard even if it was in a small way,' Ka told CNN. Kids can become severely ill with Covid-19, especially if they're younger than 5. Data presented at the last meeting of the CDC's independent vaccine advisers showed that children 4 and under were hospitalized with Covid at roughly the same rate over the past two respiratory seasons as they were with the flu, and it was a severe influenza season. Fewer than 5% of children hospitalized with Covid-19 last season were up to date on their Covid-19 vaccinations. Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said the updated recommendation – which preserves insurance coverage for the vaccines – was a relief. 'After confusing, mixed messages from leaders at Health and Human Services (HHS) earlier this week, we are relieved to see today that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its schedules for child and adolescent immunizations to allow families to maintain the choice to immunize their children against Covid in consultation with their doctor,' Kressly said in a statement. 'However, the deeply flawed process to reach the recommendation raises serious concerns about the stability of the nation's immunization infrastructure and commitment by federal leaders to make sure families can access critical immunizations, whether for Covid or other infectious diseases,' she added. Pregnancy is a risk factor for severe Covid-19 infections. Early in the pandemic, CDC studies found that pregnant women with Covid were three times more likely to need ICU care and nearly twice as likely to die compared with those who weren't pregnant. Covid infections during pregnancy have also been linked to fetal complications such as stillbirth and preterm delivery. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine said it would continue to recommend that people who are pregnant be vaccinated against Covid-19. 'Maternal immunization remains the best way to reduce maternal, fetal, and infant complications from COVID-19 infection, and is safe to be given at any point during pregnancy. Maternal immunization is also associated with improved infant outcomes and decreased complications, including maternal and infant hospitalizations,' the group said in a statement.
