Edibles. In adults, they can be used recreationally or to help manage pain, nausea and anxiety. But these THC-loaded products, often sold as gummies, cookies and brownies, have fueled a four-year increase in the number of emergency calls for young children who mistakenly think they’re yummy treats. In 2021 alone, the New Jersey Poison Control…  read on >  read on >

The power of COVID booster shots does fade somewhat over four months, but they still continue to provide high levels of protection against severe disease, a new government study has found. Booster effectiveness against hospitalization during the Omicron surge was 91% during the first two months after a third dose, researchers from the U.S. Centers…  read on >  read on >

Pregnant women who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 are at greater risk for delivering stillborn babies, and new research provides important clues about why. Unlike other fungal, bacterial or viral infections, which cross over the placenta to affect the fetus, SARS-CoV-2 is particularly lethal to the developing placenta, and this damage deprives the fetus of oxygen…  read on >  read on >

One in three Americans is exposed to a common and potentially harmful weed killer called 2,4-D, and children may be especially at risk, new research suggests. Exposure to high levels of the chemical has been linked to cancer, reproductive problems and other health issues. The effects of lower levels of exposure are unclear, but 2,4-D…  read on >  read on >

The pandemic has dramatically disrupted kids’ normal routines, but a new study suggests the initial lockdowns of 2020 did not necessarily hinder preschoolers’ language development. In fact, researchers found, there was an unanticipated “lockdown boost” in youngsters’ vocabulary growth — possibly because parents were spending more time at home. Studying families in 13 countries, the…  read on >  read on >

Many states are already dispensing with mask mandates, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s director says COVID-19 case and hospitalization numbers in the United States remain too high to ease its mask guidelines. The agency “still recommends that all schools encourage students to wear well-fitting masks consistently and while indoors. And that’s…  read on >  read on >

No contraceptive is perfect, and scientists continue searching for safer, more effective methods. Now, researchers have found a way to trap sperm in semen’s natural gel state, and they believe their findings could point the way to a new type of birth control. Normally, semen liquefies after ejaculation, which enables sperm to swim through a…  read on >  read on >

Vaccinated people in California will no longer have to wear masks indoors as of Feb. 15, but schoolchildren will still have to wear masks, state health officials announced Monday. However, they said that unvaccinated people will still have to wear masks indoors, and both vaccinated and unvaccinated people will be required to wear masks in…  read on >  read on >