MMWR News Synopsis for December 30, 2016

 

Marijuana Use Among 10th Grade Students – Washington, 2014

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Youth marijuana use is commonly associated with other harmful health behaviors which results in the need to develop and implement evidence-based strategies to reduce youth access to and use of marijuana. Recreational marijuana has been legal in Washington State since 2012. Because research shows consequences of youth marijuana use, such as impaired school performance, it is important to monitor marijuana use in adolescents. In 2014, research showed 18% of 10^th grade Washington public-school students reported using marijuana in the past 30 days; about a third used it  on 10 or more days. Students with lower grades have a higher prevalence of marijuana use than students with higher grades. Marijuana users have a higher prevalence of smoking, drinking, using e-cigarettes, and binge drinking than non-marijuana users. The most commonly reported method of obtaining marijuana among 10^th graders was from their peers (65%); 11% reported obtaining it from home either with or without their parents’ permission.

Electronic Cigarette Use Among Middle and High School Students – United States, 2015

CDC Media Relations
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Preventing young people from beginning to use any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, is critical to tobacco use prevention and control strategies in the United States. During 2015, among middle and high school students who reported ever having used an e-cigarette, 14.5% used only disposable e-cigarettes, 53.4% used only rechargeable or refillable e-cigarettes, and 32.1% used both types. Two of the most commonly used e-cigarette brands were blu (26.4%, 1.65 million youths) and VUSE (12.2%, 760,000 youths);  half of students (50.7%, 3.18 million) did not know the brand of e-cigarette they used. One third (32.5%) of ever-users reported using e-cigarettes for substances other than nicotine. Tobacco use and addiction typically begin during adolescence, and the U.S. Surgeon General has concluded that the use of products containing nicotine in any form among young people, including e-cigarettes, is unsafe.

Influenza update

CDC Media Relations
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Since the peak month for influenza activity commonly ranges from December to March, and influenza activity in the current season is just beginning to increase, influenza vaccination at this time still offers substantial public health benefit. Health care providers should recommend influenza vaccine now, and throughout the influenza season, to all unvaccinated persons 6 months and older who do not have contraindications. Influenza activity remained low in October but has been slowly increasing since November in the United States, with influenza A (H3N2) viruses most frequently identified. Almost all of the influenza viruses collected so far are antigenically or genetically similar to the reference viruses representing 2016–17 season influenza vaccines. Annual influenza vaccination is the most effective method of preventing influenza and its complications. Since the peak month for influenza activity commonly ranges from December to March, and influenza activity is increasing, receiving influenza vaccine at this time still offers substantial public health benefit. Influenza antiviral treatment, an adjunct to vaccination, can lessen duration and severity of illness. Antiviral drugs work best when started within two days of illness.

Notes from the Field: 

Outbreak of Escherichia coli O157 Infections Associated with Goat Dairy Farm Visits — Connecticut, 2016

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES