Health
Vape Product Sellers Targeting Kids in Thailand With “Toy Pods”
Academics in Thailand are sounding the alarm about a new vape product known as “toy pods” which look like copies of popular cartoon characters and are marketed to school and university kids.
Srirach Lapyai, a project manager at the Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Centre (TRC), stated that vape products companies have changed the appearance of their products to resemble figurines of renowned cartoon characters or cute miniatures of toys, food, stationery items, and so on.
Ms Srirach described them as the fifth generation of e-cigarettes known as “toy pods” with each containing up to 5% synthetic nicotine and producing up to 15,000 puffs. She claims that some arrive in a collection. Each may hold up to 12 toy pods of varying colors, representing distinct flavors and fragrances.
“It’s startling to see that e-cigarettes in the form of toy pods have become so popular that they’ve spread to elementary school pupils. Many first-graders were just discovered carrying them,” she explained.
Ms Srirach explained that the toy pods’ mouthpieces are made to resemble a cute figurine, making them nearly unrecognisable as ecigarettes.
According to Dr. Vijj Kasemsup, director of the TRC, these enterprises target younger customers by opening shops and running social media promotions that cater to their interests and lifestyles.
According to a recent survey, 309 internet merchants in Thailand were caught unlawfully selling “toy pods” over social media channels such as X, Facebook, and Instagram between January and February.
Vape Products Can Harm Children
Dr. Vijj expressed concern that nicotine from vape products can harm children’s hearts, brain cells, memories, concentration, and respiratory systems, resulting in seizures and heart failure.
He believes the government should continue to prohibit vape products sales and imports, as well as proactively enforce restrictions against such goods.
The authorities recently discovered 70 vape businesses within a 500-metre radius of Bangkok schools and institutions. Legal action against vape product retailers is being considered in order to establish safety systems.
Over the last few years, the globe has begun to consider whether vapers and e-cigarettes are a safer option to tobacco, which has been widely documented as damaging to our health.
Authorities in the United Kingdom are prepared to ban the sale and manufacture of single-use vapes by next year, and the latest Netflix documentary series Big Vape: The Rise And Fall Of Juul addresses the different challenges.
We have seen a growing controversy about the safety of vaping in Thailand, where it is illegal but freely available.
The debate is whether vapes and e-cigarettes are as hazardous as regular tobacco products. People are also concerned about the grounds for the prohibition and whether smokers should transition to vaping for better health.
When comparing the health impacts of e-cigarettes to regular cigarettes, it is critical to recognize that both products include dangers.
Vape products can be dangerous
According to the World Health Organization, tobacco smoke includes over 7,000 compounds, at least 250 of which are known to be hazardous and more than 60 of which are carcinogenic.
These substances are to blame for smoking’s catastrophic health repercussions, which include lung cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In contrast, e-cigarettes emit no tobacco smoke. Instead, they function by heating a liquid containing nicotine, flavorings, and other compounds, resulting in an aerosol that users inhale.
While e-cigarettes do have dangers, studies have revealed that they may be less dangerous than regular cigarettes.
The Royal College of Physicians in the United Kingdom, for example, concluded that “the hazard to health arising from long-term vapour inhalation from the e-cigarettes available today is unlikely to exceed 5% of the harm from smoking tobacco”.
The relative damage of vapes vs. cigarettes has provoked various discussions in the scientific community. One thing is clear: vaping is not fully risk-free.
The aerosol created by e-cigarettes may include hazardous compounds, and long-term implications are being investigated. However, it is possible that vaping could be a less dangerous alternative for smokers who are unable or unable to give up nicotine completely.
Given the potential harm reduction benefits of vaping, one may wonder why countries such as Thailand retain strict bans on these items.
The solution lies not simply in concerns about the health impacts of vaping, but also in the larger context of regulating a rapidly growing industry. Vaping is prohibited, although these goods are widely available.
The quality and safety of vaping goods
The disparity between the legislation and its enforcement raises concerns about a ban’s effectiveness in reducing vape use. Regardless of its legal status, many Thais have embraced vaping, indicating a large market for these items.
One could argue that the current restriction on vaping is unhelpful. While the government may intend to protect public health, many consumers are turning to an uncontrolled black market.
In this situation, it is difficult to control and assure the quality and safety of vaping goods. If the government were to regulate and tax vaping, it might potentially improve public safety while also raising funds for public health projects.
The situation in Thailand is not exceptional. Many countries are facing the same difficulties. In the United Kingdom, for example, policymakers are planning to ban single-use vapes by 2024, a decision that has prompted discussion among health professionals and the general public.
While the UK has been more lenient toward vaping than countries such as Thailand, the new prohibition raises issues about the rationale behind such legislation.
Concerns about health dangers, potential gateway effects to smoking for adolescents, and a desire to preserve control over the tobacco industry are frequently the driving forces behind vaping bans.
Critics of vaping believe that it may normalize smoking, and that young people who begin with e-cigarettes may eventually switch to regular cigarettes.
Furthermore, the rapid growth of new, often flamboyant vaping goods with an endless variety of flavors and styles has generated worries about their attractiveness to adolescents.
Smokers transitioning to vaping
In the broader scheme of things, the question is whether smokers should transition to vaping if they wish to quit smoking for health reasons. It is critical to highlight that quitting nicotine completely remains the greatest option for health.
However, for people who are trying to stop and have been unsuccessful with other approaches, vaping may be a less dangerous option.
The vaping topic remains complicated, with scientists disagreeing on the relative health dangers. Vaping bans, such as those in Thailand and other nations, are frequently the consequence of a combination of circumstances, including public health concerns, adolescent initiation, and the larger tobacco business.
While it is critical to regulate vaping to safeguard consumers, a complete ban may not be the most effective solution. As more evidence comes out, governments should reconsider their stance on vaping and consider harm reduction as a feasible method for those who are unable to completely stop nicotine.
Health
Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard
(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.
This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.
Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.
The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.
In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.
It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.
Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.
These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.
In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.
No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.
Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.
This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.
Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.
Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.
SOURCE: IPN
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Health
New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke
A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!
Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.
Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.
Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.
Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop
The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.
Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.
Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.
Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.
Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.
Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.
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Health
Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?
(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.
Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.
First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.
In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.
Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.
According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.
In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”
She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).
Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.
She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.
She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).
“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”
Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.
“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.
“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”
Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.
Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.
After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.
Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.
Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”
SOURCE: MP
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