Category: California

California’s Fentanyl Problem Is Getting Worse

State lawmakers have recently been debating whether and how to stiffen punishments for dealers, while Gov. Gavin Newsom is targeting fentanyl trafficking and distributing more naloxone. The problem, experts say, is one with no easy or clear answers.

Young People Are Having Less Sex Than Their Parents Did at Their Age. Researchers Explore Why.

The percentage of young adults not having sex was rising even before covid made dating harder. Data and research suggest economic precarity, technology, and the warping effects of porn on sexual attitudes may play a role.

State Lawmakers Eye Forced Treatment to Address Overlap in Homelessness and Mental Illness

Democratic politicians in California and Oregon are reconsidering the restrictions of involuntary commitment laws. They argue that not helping people who are seriously ill and living in squalor on the streets is inhumane.

Michael Milken Wants to Speed Up Cures

In his new book, “Faster Cures,” the former “junk bond king,” now a philanthropist, promotes business principles as catalysts for medical breakthroughs.

ER Doctors Vow to Pursue Case Against Envision Even in Bankruptcy

The lawyer for a physicians group says a lawsuit against Envision Healthcare should be allowed to proceed even if the company seeks Chapter 11 protection.

California Confronts Overdose Epidemic Among Former Prison Inmates

Individuals newly released from prison are 40 times as likely to die of opioid overdoses than members of the general population, researchers say. In response, California corrections officials aim to arm departing inmates with an antidote that can be used to reverse the effects of opioid poisoning.

California Debates Extending PTSD Coverage to More First Responders

A state Senate bill would extend workers’ compensation coverage of post-traumatic stress injuries for firefighters and police officers. But a separate bill to cover paramedics and EMTs is unlikely to be heard.

Medi-Cal Enrollees in California: Here’s How to Verify Your Eligibility

California’s safety-net health program has resumed annual eligibility checks after three years, which means beneficiaries will need to provide updated personal information to maintain coverage. Here’s what to watch for.

California Says New Cigarettes Appear to Violate State’s Flavored Tobacco Ban

The attorney general is warning two tobacco companies, R.J. Reynolds and ITG Brands LLC, that their reformulated cigarettes appear to violate the state’s ban on flavored tobacco products, based on marketing materials. R.J. Reynolds said Thursday that its cigarettes comply with the law.

Federal Rules Don’t Require Period Product Ingredients on Packaging Labels. States Are Stepping In.

New York and California have passed laws requiring disclosure of ingredients on menstrual product packaging. Advocates want more transparency across the U.S.