HELENA, Mont. – As the number of deaths possibly linked to e-cigarettes climbs, health officials are urging people not to use them.

State health officials across the country in the past week have connected vaping to a mysterious and deadly illness, and it's prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recommend that folks stay away from these devices.

There are no confirmed cases in Montana, although the state is looking into potential incidences.

"We have something that has serious consequences and we don't know what's exactly going on,” says Dr. Greg Holzman, state medical officer at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

“Protect yourself and stay away from these products at this time, until we have a better understanding. And hopefully, this would be a good time to stop using the products completely."

The CDC says it's still unclear which vaping agents are responsible for the severe respiratory illness that has cropped up.

The agency advises e-cigarette users to watch for coughing, shortness of breath and vomiting.

By the end of last week, the CDC was looking into 450 cases of the respiratory illness in 33 states.

Vaping among Montana's youth is a serious concern. The devices are the most commonly used tobacco product by high school students and, according to the Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey, their use has increased from 23% in 2017 to 30% this year.

Nicole Aune, a program manager for the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program, says nicotine damages developing brains, and parents should be on the lookout for vaping devices, which are easy to conceal.

"They are called many different things,” she states. “A lot of youth do not call them e-cigarettes. They might simply call them Juuls, vapes – whatever the product is. It varies so much. And then, a lot of them are disguised to look like everyday products."

Aune says some Juul products, for instance, look like flash drives. She advises teens check out "My Life My Quit" that recently launched in Montana. It’s a text messaging resource for young people who want to stop vaping.

They can text "Start My Quit" to 1-855-891-9989 for live sessions with a coach.


get more stories like this via email

Law enforcement officers and drug prevention advocates in Missouri are joining forces to tackle prescription drug misuse.

As part of the Drug Enforcement Administration's "National Prescription Drug Take Back Day," five collection sites will be set up across Taney and Stone counties on April 26.

Data from two years ago showed around 190,000 Missourians misused opioids, including 180,000 who misused prescription pain relievers.

Marietta Hagan, project coordinator at Cox Health, warned prescription drug misuse contributes heavily to opioid use disorder.

"People would get prescription medication that didn't belong to them as easy as walking into their parent's medicine cabinet and pulling it out of there, or pulling it out of the side night table at bedtime," Hagan explained.

Volunteers will be at the sites offering free safety tips and disposal kits, making it easy for families to clear out their medicine cabinets.

Hagan emphasized "Drug Take Back Day" is about more than just safe disposal. It is also a reminder to store medications properly to prevent misuse. She shared guidance on how to safely get rid of unwanted medications.

"Previously government agencies had encouraged actually the flushing of medications," Hagan noted. "But we now know thanks to environmental science, that is not recommended. Those medications end up in our water supply, in our lakes and our streams."

Most prescription and over-the-counter medications will be accepted, including pills, patches, and vapes without batteries. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is held twice a year, typically in April and October.


get more stories like this via email

A Tennessee nonprofit is warning that potential Medicaid cuts could threaten crucial support for the state's nearly 1 million family caregivers.

Medicaid supports 4.5 million individuals through home health-care services nationwide.

Megan Schwalm, president and CEO of the Tennessee Caregiver Coalition, said more than half of its funding comes from the now-dismantled Administration for Community Living - which has been folded into the Department of Health and Human Services.

Schwalm said federal funding cuts have affected the coalition, which provides respite services for people caring for loved ones with dementia or other serious conditions.

"Our state typically reimburses at $23.44 an hour for respite, and so us being able to provide at about $5 an hour is a huge cost savings," said Schwalm. "But with those cuts to Medicaid and the Administration for Community Living, we won't be able to provide those services any longer."

She said the funding cuts have already forced the loss of a staff position and nearly all outreach efforts for respite services across Tennessee.

Medicaid is jointly funded by states and the federal government, but Congress is proposing cutting Medicaid spending by $880 billion over 10 years.

According to AARP, Tennessee already ranks poorly among states for its lack of supports and services for caregivers and people with disabilities.

Schwalm acknowledged that Medicaid could benefit from reform, but she said dismantling it without a clear, comprehensive plan would be detrimental to the people of Tennessee.

"These cuts to Medicaid are coming, but there is no safety net in place," said Schwalm. "There is no alternative. And so it is very unclear what will happen to these folks in these programs."

She emphasized the importance of Tennesseans letting their elected officials know how they feel about safeguarding these safety net programs.




get more stories like this via email

A bill in the Tennessee General Assembly is reigniting debate over how rural hospitals can staff anesthesia providers. House Bill 979 would address the shortage of anesthesiologists in rural Tennessee by allowing hospitals in counties with fewer than 105,000 residents to directly employ physician anesthesiologists.

Hospitals now have to use third-party anesthesiology services.

Dr. Louis Chemin III, anesthesiologist and physician with Tennessee Anesthesiology Consultants Exchange, supports physician supervision in what's known as the "Anesthesia Care Team" model. He said anyone hired as an anesthesiologist would be required to follow strict medical guidelines.

"Currently under state law, a hospital cannot employ an anesthesiologist, a radiologist, a pathologist or an emergency medicine physician. If this bill were to pass, it would allow hospitals in these rural communities the option to hire an anesthesiologist," he contended.

Chemin said the bill would allow a hospital anesthesiologist to perform anesthesia in one operating room, or to supervise the process in up to four operating rooms.

On Wednesday, the bill passed the House with a vote of 72 to 5, with 11 members "present but not voting." It now heads to the state Senate.

When a physician anesthesiologist provides medical direction to Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists or Anesthesiologist Assistants, Chemin explained, they must comply with seven steps outlined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to qualify for reimbursement under Medicare.

"This law means that if a hospital employs an anesthesiologist, that they must allow the anesthesiologist to practice in a way that is safe and is in agreement with these seven steps," he continued.

Chemin added that these requirements would ensure the anesthesiologist's active involvement in the patient's care and safety.


get more stories like this via email