The advent of the e-cigarette appears to have spurred a huge drop in tobacco smoking rates among teenagers and young adults, a new study claims. Previous research has argued that vaping could prove to be a gateway drug for smoking, by getting youngsters hooked on nicotine and used to the physical actions associated with smoking.…  read on >

As the U.S. opioid epidemic rages unchecked, new research shows that pregnancy-related deaths due to opioid misuse more than doubled between 2007 and 2016. Deaths during or soon after pregnancy rose 34 percent during that time, and the percentage involving heroin, fentanyl or prescription painkillers (such as OxyContin) jumped from 4 percent to 10 percent,…  read on >

Ongoing news alerts of potential salmonella contamination in certain brands of raw turkey might have you rattled as Thanksgiving dinner approaches. But although the danger is real, simple kitchen precautions can help eliminate it, health experts say. First, the latest on the threat: More than 147,000 pounds of raw turkey products from Jennie-O Turkey Store…  read on >

If you’re a pot-smoking parent and you think your kids aren’t affected, think again. New research found evidence of secondhand marijuana smoke exposure in nearly half of children whose parents smoke the drug. “While the effects of tobacco smoke have been studied extensively, we are still learning about marijuana exposure,” said researcher Dr. Karen Wilson,…  read on >

Almost 8 percent of American children have food allergies, and 1 in 5 of those kids suffers an allergic reaction severe enough to wind up in the hospital, a new study finds. “Childhood food allergies are relatively common and should be taken seriously, with 1 in 5 having a reaction that takes them to the…  read on >

People with peanut allergy can protect themselves from an allergic reaction by consuming a small amount of peanut powder every day, a new study suggests. The “breakthrough” findings mean this new treatment is ready for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the researchers added. “We’re excited about the potential to help children and…  read on >

If your kid is highly skilled at hockey but wants to try basketball, new research suggests you shouldn’t worry about whether that might cost your child a college scholarship. Researchers surveyed 91 professional and collegiate ice hockey players and found they tended to play multiple sports as children, and only started to focus solely on…  read on >

Milk allergy affects more than half of American infants who have food allergies in their first year of life, a new study finds. However, study lead author Christopher Warren said, “Our findings suggest that while milk allergy is relatively common during infancy, many children are likely to outgrow their milk allergies. “We observed that while…  read on >

The “hygiene hypothesis” holds that early exposure to a variety of microorganisms may decrease the risk for chronic inflammatory diseases, like asthma. Two Swedish studies that tracked 650,000 children found that exposure to farm animals and even dogs can have this kind of beneficial effect. Living on a farm cut kids’ asthma rate by half.…  read on >

Aerosol products are found in every household but can be potential killers, doctors warn. Highlighting the dangers posed by “huffing,” Dutch physicians outline the tragic case of a 19-year-old who died after inhaling spray deodorant to get high. The teenager, who’d been in a residential drug rehabilitation program, died of cardiac arrest soon after, according…  read on >