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The article discusses a study which found that the largest marijuana companies engage in corporate social responsibility activities that mimic those the tobacco industry uses to influence politics and regulation, encourage increased consumption, and target marginalized communities. Topics include risks to youth, risks to disadvantaged communities, and recommendations to minimize harm.

The Trump administration has undertaken an assault on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an agency critical to environmental health. This assault has precedents in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. The early Reagan administration (1981-1983) launched an overt attack on the EPA, combining deregulation with budget and staff cuts, whereas the George W. Bush administration (2001-2008) adopted a subtler approach, undermining science-based policy. The current administration combines both these strategies and operates in a political context more favorable to its designs on the EPA. The Republican Party has shifted right and now controls the executive branch and both chambers of Congress. Wealthy donors, think tanks, and fossil fuel and chemical industries have become more influential in pushing deregulation. Among the public, political polarization has increased, the environment has become a partisan issue, and science and the mainstream media are distrusted. For these reasons, the effects of today's ongoing regulatory delays, rollbacks, and staff cuts may well surpass those of the administrations of Reagan and Bush, whose impacts on environmental health were considerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study examined absence rates among US Department of Energy workers who had beryllium sensitization (BeS) or were diagnosed with chronic beryllium disease (CBD) compared with those of other workers. Methods. We used the lymphocyte proliferation test to determine beryllium sensitivity. In addition, we applied multivariable logistic regression to compare absences from 2002 to 2011 between workers with BeS or CBD to those without, and survival analysis to compare time to first absence by beryllium sensitization status. Finally, we examined beryllium status by occupational group. Results. Fewer than 3% of the 19 305 workers were BeS, and workers with BeS or CBD had more total absences (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18, 1.46) and respiratory absences (OR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.24, 1.84) than did other workers. Time to first absence for all causes and for respiratory conditions occurred earlier for workers with BeS or CBD than for other workers. Line operators and crafts personnel were at increased risk for BeS or CBD. Conclusions. Although not considered “diseased,” workers with BeS have higher absenteeism compared with nonsensitized workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We examined nursing home preparedness needs by studying the experiences of nursing homes that sheltered evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. Methods. Five weeks after Hurricane Katrina, and again 15 weeks later, we conducted interviews with administrators of 14 nursing homes that sheltered 458 evacuees in 4 states. Nine weeks after Katrina, we conducted site visits to 4 nursing homes and interviewed 4 administrators and 38 staff members. We used grounded theory analysis to identify major themes and thematic analysis to organize content. Results. Although most sheltering facilities were well prepared for emergency triage and treatment, we identified some major preparedness shortcomings. Nursing homes were not included in community planning or recognized as community health care resources. Supplies and medications were inadequate, and there was insufficient communication and information about evacuees provided by evacuating nursing homes to sheltering nursing homes. Residents and staff had notable mental health-related needs after 5 months, and maintaining adequate staffing was a challenge. Conclusions. Nursing homes should develop and practice procedures to shelter and provide long-term access to mental health services following a disaster. Nursing homes should be integrated into community disaster planning and be classified in an emergency priority category similar to hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Comparisons of cancer survival in Canadian and US metropolitan areas have shown consistent Canadian advantages. This study tests a health insurance hypothesis by comparing cancer survival in Toronto, Ontario, and Honolulu, Hawaii. Methods. Ontario and Hawaii registries provided a total of 9190 and 2895 cancer cases (breast and prostate, 19861990, followed until 1996). Socioeconomic data for each person's residence at the time of diagnosis were taken from population censuses. Results. Socioeconomic status and cancer survival were directly associated in the US cohort, but not in the Canadian cohort. Compared with similar patients in Honolulu, residents of low-income areas in Toronto experienced 5-year survival advantages for breast and prostate cancer. In support of the health insurance hypothesis, between-country differences were smaller than those observed with other state samples and the Canadian advantage was larger among younger women. Conclusions. Hawaii seems to provide better cancer care than many other states, but patients in Toronto still enjoy a significant survival advantage. Although Hawaii's employer-mandated health insurance coverage seems an effective step toward providing equitable health care, even better care could be expected with a universally accessible, single-payer system. (Am d Public Health. 2000;90:1866-1872) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Occupational health problems have needlessly been produced at many worksites as a consequence of their not having been anticipated during design and construction. Pre-review may be an effective and efficient mechanism for preventive intervention in occupational health and safety. Legal and administrative precedents are cited from the United States and other countries. Proposals are presented, with Israel as an example, which aim to implement the principle of pre-review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study examined whether socioeconomic status has a differential effect on the survival of adults diagnosed with cancer in Canada and the United States. Methods. The Ontario Cancer Registry and the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program provided a total of 58 202 and 76 055 population-based primary malignant cancer cases for Toronto, Ontario, and Detroit, Mich, respectively. Socioeconomic data for each person's residence at time of diagnosis were taken from population censuses. Results. In the US cohort, there was a significant association between socioeconomic status and survival for 12 of the 15 most common cancer sites; in the Canadian cohort, there was no such association for 12 of the 15 sites. Among residents of low-income areas, persons in Toronto experienced a survival advantage for 13 of 15 cancer sites at 1- and 5-year follow-up. No such between-country differentials were observed in the middle- or high-income groups. Conclusions. The consistent pattern of a survival advantage in Canada observed across various cancer sites and follow-up periods suggests that Canada's more equitable access to preventive and therapeutic health care services is responsible for the difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the health-related housing and sanitation problems in the U.S. These problems had to do with the absence of the public domain service systems such as portable water, sewerage and solid waste disposal and were aggravated by pressures of household crowding resulting from the shortage of suitable dwelling units for migrants from countryside areas. It was mentioned that severe health and safety burdens are now imposed on people living with poorly functioning boilers, broken plumbing systems, rotating window frames and missing window guards, harborages for insects and rodents, and others.

Although people with drug problems consume a large proportion of cigarettes smoked in the United States, few drug treatment facilities offer tobacco treatment. Our analysis of 405 facilities showed that most had the skills but few had policies, leadership, or financial resources to provide evidence-based tobacco treatment. For-profits reported significantly fewer tobacco treatment resources than nonprofits. The Affordable Care and Mental Health Parity acts will improve treatment access for drug-dependent persons. To realize these acts' full promise, policymakers should ensure that clients have access to tobacco treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]