Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/eHlGf-j9ZaA

We know all about the dangers of second-hand smoke, those clouds of toxic fumes emanating from cigarettes, cigars, and pipe bowls.  Now a study from the University of Cincinatti and the Cincinatti Children’s Hospital hone in on the vapors that waft up from those yellow stains on walls, ceilings, carpets, upholstery and, yes, the fingers of smokers themselves.  We call these third hand smoke.

The investigators measured the levels of nicotine on the hands of children exposed to these 3rd hand sources but not to parental smoking directly, and these children had the same levels of nicotine as an indirect measure of all toxic chemicals as those kids directly exposed to cigarette smoke.

Also know that these poisonous chemicals accumulate.  The children under 2 years had average hand nicotine levels of 69 ng, and that figure shot up 2.5 times by age 4 years.  The nicotine levels detected were a function of the number of cigarettes smoked by their parents and caregivers.  Even more disturbing was the finding that those with higher nicotine levels suffered from more respiratory symptoms including cough and wheezing.

Don’t smoke in your home even if your children aren’t present.  Better yet, kick the habit entirely if you love your kids.  If you have been smoking indoors, give your walls and furnishings a thorough cleaning in an honest attempt to exorcise cigarette nicotine and tars..

#thirdhandsmoke #secondhandsmoke #nicotine #tar #cigarettestain #health news

E Melinda Mahabee-Gittens, Ashley L Merianos, Eunha Hoh, Penelope JE Quintana, Georg E Matt. Nicotine on Children’s Hands: Limited Protection of Smoking Bans and Initial Clinical Findings. Tobacco Use Insights, 2019; 12: 1179173X1882349 DOI: 10.1177/1179173X18823493

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/eHlGf-j9ZaA

We know all about the dangers of second-hand smoke, those clouds of toxic fumes emanating from cigarettes, cigars, and pipe bowls.  Now a study from the University of Cincinatti and the Cincinatti Children’s Hospital hone in on the vapors that waft up from those yellow stains on walls, ceilings, carpets, upholstery and, yes, the fingers of smokers themselves.  We call these third hand smoke.

The investigators measured the levels of nicotine on the hands of children exposed to these 3rd hand sources but not to parental smoking directly, and these children had the same levels of nicotine as an indirect measure of all toxic chemicals as those kids directly exposed to cigarette smoke.

Also know that these poisonous chemicals accumulate.  The children under 2 years had average hand nicotine levels of 69 ng, and that figure shot up 2.5 times by age 4 years.  The nicotine levels detected were a function of the number of cigarettes smoked by their parents and caregivers.  Even more disturbing was the finding that those with higher nicotine levels suffered from more respiratory symptoms including cough and wheezing.

Don’t smoke in your home even if your children aren’t present.  Better yet, kick the habit entirely if you love your kids.  If you have been smoking indoors, give your walls and furnishings a thorough cleaning in an honest attempt to exorcise cigarette nicotine and tars..

#thirdhandsmoke #secondhandsmoke #nicotine #tar #cigarettestain #health news

E Melinda Mahabee-Gittens, Ashley L Merianos, Eunha Hoh, Penelope JE Quintana, Georg E Matt. Nicotine on Children’s Hands: Limited Protection of Smoking Bans and Initial Clinical Findings. Tobacco Use Insights, 2019; 12: 1179173X1882349 DOI: 10.1177/1179173X18823493

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/kj8WxgQ-ZS4

If you smoked or ate some weed over the weekend, will you flunk that pop drug test your boss springs on you Monday morning?  The answer depends on how much you consumed and the type of test you must take.  Either way, be forewarned that marijuana’s psychoactive agent, THC, is fat-soluble and definitely hangs around in your body longer than alcohol.

Smoking one isolated marijuana cigarette yields a positive test for 3 days.  If you smoke 3 or 4 times a week, you’ll fail a test up to a week later.  If you smoke everyday for awhile, you will test positive for at least a month after quitting.

The most sensitive marijuana test is hair analysis, and with it THC detection can occur up to 3 months after stopping any use.  Next sensitive is the urine test that detects use 3 to 30 days after cessation.   Saliva tests may be positive for 24 hours.  Blood tests only pick up THC for 3-4 hours after use.

If your job depends on a negative unannounced drug test, you’d better think twice about regular weed use.

Michelle Taylor, 1 , 2 Rosie Lees, 2 Graeme Henderson, 3 Anne Lingford‐Hughes, 4 John Macleod, 2 John Sullivan, 5 and Matthew Hickman 2

Comparison of cannabinoids in hair with self‐reported cannabis consumption in heavy, light and non‐cannabis users.  Drug Alcohol Rev. 2017 Mar; 36(2): 220–226.

#marijuana #weed #hash #drugtest #salivatest #hairanalysis #health news #health tips

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/kj8WxgQ-ZS4

If you smoked or ate some weed over the weekend, will you flunk that pop drug test your boss springs on you Monday morning?  The answer depends on how much you consumed and the type of test you must take.  Either way, be forewarned that marijuana’s psychoactive agent, THC, is fat-soluble and definitely hangs around in your body longer than alcohol.

Smoking one isolated marijuana cigarette yields a positive test for 3 days.  If you smoke 3 or 4 times a week, you’ll fail a test up to a week later.  If you smoke everyday for awhile, you will test positive for at least a month after quitting.

The most sensitive marijuana test is hair analysis, and with it THC detection can occur up to 3 months after stopping any use.  Next sensitive is the urine test that detects use 3 to 30 days after cessation.   Saliva tests may be positive for 24 hours.  Blood tests only pick up THC for 3-4 hours after use.

If your job depends on a negative unannounced drug test, you’d better think twice about regular weed use.

Michelle Taylor, 1 , 2 Rosie Lees, 2 Graeme Henderson, 3 Anne Lingford‐Hughes, 4 John Macleod, 2 John Sullivan, 5 and Matthew Hickman 2

Comparison of cannabinoids in hair with self‐reported cannabis consumption in heavy, light and non‐cannabis users.  Drug Alcohol Rev. 2017 Mar; 36(2): 220–226.

#marijuana #weed #hash #drugtest #salivatest #hairanalysis #health news #health tips

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/fTadT-9r9_k

Another goal for the #metoo movement is suggested by the latest study from Yale psychologists.  As research subjects observed a video of the very same child being subjected to the classic, old fashioned medical torture, the fingerstick, but identified as either Samuel or Samantha, the majority of observers, both men and women, believe that the girl Samantha felt less pain than the boy Samuel.

This gender bias result is in synch with similar impressions of adults experiencing pain.   The result can be explained by the widespread misconception that boys are more stoic than girls, and it would take greater pain to elicit the same response in the male. 

Parents of girls and significant others of women undergoing procedures need to advocate for their child or partner if they feel that the  pain management being offered is insufficient whether or not it’s due to gender bias.  

Brian D Earp, Joshua T Monrad, Marianne LaFrance, John A Bargh, Lindsey L Cohen, Jennifer A Richeson. Gender Bias in Pediatric Pain Assessment. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 2019; DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsy104

#girls #women #pain #genderbias #healthnews #healthtips

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/fTadT-9r9_k

Another goal for the #metoo movement is suggested by the latest study from Yale psychologists.  As research subjects observed a video of the very same child being subjected to the classic, old fashioned medical torture, the fingerstick, but identified as either Samuel or Samantha, the majority of observers, both men and women, believe that the girl Samantha felt less pain than the boy Samuel.

This gender bias result is in synch with similar impressions of adults experiencing pain.   The result can be explained by the widespread misconception that boys are more stoic than girls, and it would take greater pain to elicit the same response in the male. 

Parents of girls and significant others of women undergoing procedures need to advocate for their child or partner if they feel that the  pain management being offered is insufficient whether or not it’s due to gender bias.  

Brian D Earp, Joshua T Monrad, Marianne LaFrance, John A Bargh, Lindsey L Cohen, Jennifer A Richeson. Gender Bias in Pediatric Pain Assessment. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 2019; DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsy104

#girls #women #pain #genderbias #healthnews #healthtips

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ud9tvdV6Kus

School violence is on the rise but, surprise, it’s the bullies themselves who are most likely to be  seriously injured.  This the conclusion of a study by researchers at the University of Texas-Houston who studied of some 4300 5th, 7th, and 10th graders in Houston, LA, and Birmingham, Alabama.

In 5th grade, 17% of children sustained at least one violent injury with a gun or knife, but that percentage rose to 33% by10th grade with gunshot injuries predominating.  Bullies themselves were 41% more likely to be violently injured compared with other children because they engage in more risky and violent activities.

If you are the parent of a bully, don’t think that encouraging your child to “feel his/her oats” will end well.  Aggressively stop this behavior and redirect your child’s energies in more positive directions.

Katelyn K. Jetelina, Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez, Mark A. Schuster, etal. Mechanisms and Frequency of Violent Injuries Among Victims and Perpetrators of Bullying. Journal of Adolescent Health, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.10.295

#schoolviolence #bullying #guns #knives

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ud9tvdV6Kus

School violence is on the rise but, surprise, it’s the bullies themselves who are most likely to be  seriously injured.  This the conclusion of a study by researchers at the University of Texas-Houston who studied of some 4300 5th, 7th, and 10th graders in Houston, LA, and Birmingham, Alabama.

In 5th grade, 17% of children sustained at least one violent injury with a gun or knife, but that percentage rose to 33% by10th grade with gunshot injuries predominating.  Bullies themselves were 41% more likely to be violently injured compared with other children because they engage in more risky and violent activities.

If you are the parent of a bully, don’t think that encouraging your child to “feel his/her oats” will end well.  Aggressively stop this behavior and redirect your child’s energies in more positive directions.

Katelyn K. Jetelina, Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez, Mark A. Schuster, etal. Mechanisms and Frequency of Violent Injuries Among Victims and Perpetrators of Bullying. Journal of Adolescent Health, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.10.295

#schoolviolence #bullying #guns #knives

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/bZrgrEGpo-A

Women suffering preeclampsia during their pregnancies have a 30% higher risk of later stroke.  Columbia University neurologists studied 84,000 California teachers and found that low dose aspirin at least 3 times weekly virtually erases the greater risk of stroke for women before they reach the age of 60.  Once past 60, aspirin’s protective effect vanishes.

Preeclampsia complicating pregnancy is rising in the US, and one in every 20 pregnancies is now affected.  An increasing incidence of obesity and associated high blood pressure in women seem to be responsible.

If you experienced preeclampsia during your pregnancy and are currently less than a young 60, do ask your doctor about beginning a course of low dose aspirin.

Steven K. Feske, Cheryl Bushnell. Stroke prevention. Neurology, 2019; 92 (4): 159 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000006802

#preeclampsia #stroke #hypertension #aspirin #healthnews #healthtips

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/bZrgrEGpo-A

Women suffering preeclampsia during their pregnancies have a 30% higher risk of later stroke.  Columbia University neurologists studied 84,000 California teachers and found that low dose aspirin at least 3 times weekly virtually erases the greater risk of stroke for women before they reach the age of 60.  Once past 60, aspirin’s protective effect vanishes.

Preeclampsia complicating pregnancy is rising in the US, and one in every 20 pregnancies is now affected.  An increasing incidence of obesity and associated high blood pressure in women seem to be responsible.

If you experienced preeclampsia during your pregnancy and are currently less than a young 60, do ask your doctor about beginning a course of low dose aspirin.

Steven K. Feske, Cheryl Bushnell. Stroke prevention. Neurology, 2019; 92 (4): 159 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000006802

#preeclampsia #stroke #hypertension #aspirin #healthnews #healthtips