If there’s any doubt that America’s teens have suffered mightily during the pandemic, a new government survey offers fresh proof of the pain restrictions from the coronavirus has inflicted on this vulnerable group. Many high schoolers have experienced physical and emotional abuse, poor mental health and chronic sadness and hopelessness as COVID-19 raged across the…  read on >  read on >

The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it has launched a new website that includes help for people trying to find free COVID prevention and treatment quickly. COVID.gov will bring into one place several types of critical COVID-19 information, from finding high-quality masks to testing requirements for international travel. “We could not have done this six…  read on >  read on >

Smoking pot through a bong doesn’t protect the nonsmokers in the room from the dangers of secondhand smoke, a new study warns. Bongs have been touted as a safe way to protect nonsmokers from secondhand marijuana smoke. But it can expose them to extremely high concentrations of fine particulate matter — five to 10 times…  read on >  read on >

An experimental drug shows promise in reducing tics in young people with Tourette syndrome. Ecopipam, which failed as a weight loss medication, may reduce tics by 30% in kids and teens with Tourette without the unpleasant side effects of current treatments, researchers say. “This drug significantly reduced tics, compared to placebo, and did not have…  read on >  read on >

A noninvasive ultrasound technique is capable of quickly pulverizing kidney stones, an early study shows — in what researchers call a first step toward a simpler, anesthesia-free treatment for the painful problem. The study reports on the first 19 patients who’ve had kidney stones treated with the ultrasound “bursts.” So far, it’s been able to…  read on >  read on >

Taking a stroll through a city park can give your mood a significant boost, but parks in some cities provide a bigger benefit than those in others, researchers say. In a new study, investigators measured the happiness effect of city parks in the 25 most populous U.S. cities and found that it was roughly equal…  read on >  read on >