The popularity of e-cigarettes for consuming both tobacco and marijuana is driving a teen vaping epidemic, with an estimated 25 percent of high schools using such devices. Now, a tooldeveloped by Cornell Tech will be able to monitor when and where people vape, how deeply they inhale and how much nicotine or pot they consumer, which could provide clues to why vaping is so addictive—and help users curtail use. The tool could enable vapers to track their consumption and tell researchers more about drug cravings, as well as what interventions might help people quit.
In the national opioid lawsuits, a judge is allowing two more Ohio counties to join the trial against pharmacy chains accused of contributing to the opioid epidemic and more than 400,000 deaths by dispensing hundreds of millions of prescription painkillers. It’s not certain which pharmacies will be involved in the expanded trial, but those named so far in other cases include CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Walmart. And finally, a coalition of marijuana businesses, churches and advocacy groups are urging Governor Newsom of California to cut the state’s hefty pot tax. The coalition says the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown is taking a heavy toll on business—especially pot shops—run by minorities and communities of color that were disproportionately targeted during the war on drugs.