Alabama passes SUNucate, allowing sunscreen in school to protect kids from skin cancer
Thanks to a new law signed by Gov. Kay Ivey earlier this month, Alabama children will be allowed to bring and apply sunscreen at school or camp without a doctor’s note. Previously, following U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, school systems categorized sunscreen as an over-the-counter medication like Tylenol or ibuprofen and required a doctor’s note to have it at school. Alabama has loosened these restrictions to make it easier for kids to protect themselves from skin cancer. The law, deemed SUNucate, eliminates barriers prohibiting students from possessing and using over-the-counter sunscreen by exempting these products from requirements implemented by broad reaching ”medication bans,” such as the need for a physician’s note or prescription. Alabama is the fourth state to pass this law in 2017. The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association (ASDSA) applauds the bill’s sponsors, Springville-Republican State Sen. Jim McClendon and Talladega-Republican State Rep. Ron Johnson – sponsors of Senate Bill 63 and House Bill 147 – for their leadership on the issue, and thanks both the legislature and Governor Ivey for their support of the efforts to help protect children from skin cancer. “Creating a culture of sun-safe behavior in our youth is a real part of how we can reduce the risk of skin cancer,” said ASDSA President Thomas E. Rohrer, MD. “As dermatologic surgeons, we must help the public understand the real risks of excessive sun exposure and how to mitigate them.” The ASDSA said in a statement allowing “the regular and routine use of sunscreen at schools without a prescription” is key to reducing skin cancer in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force both agree — children should have access to sunscreen and other sun-protective measures in order to reduce the risk of skin cancer.
ADPH supports new FDA regulations for all tobacco, smoking products effective Aug. 8
New Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for all tobacco and smoking products are poised to take effect next month in attempt to reduce the number of minors purchasing and using tobacco products. Beginning Aug. 8, the FDA will review new tobacco products not yet on the market, help prevent misleading claims by tobacco product manufacturers, evaluate the ingredients of tobacco products and how they are made and communicate the potential risks of tobacco products by issuing health warnings and advisories. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) came out Wednesday in support of the new regulations to restrict the sale of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, cigars, hookah tobacco and pipe tobacco, among others, as well as to restrict the sale of all tobacco products to minors. “Tobacco use remains a significant public health threat and is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Alabama,” Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Tom Miller said. “We applaud efforts by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to control these dangerous products.” According to the ADPH, 9,000 deaths annually in Alabama are attributed to smoking-related diseases. These deaths are due to cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, secondhand smoke and smoking related fires. A recent survey supported by the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show current e-cigarette use among high school students has increased from 1.5 percent in 2011 to 16 percent in 2015 — more than 900 percent. The ADPH is concerned with a particular variety of e-cigarettes called “vaping,” which includes the use of liquid tobacco in e-cigarettes. These are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid — usually containing nicotine mixed with the chemicals propylene glycol and glycerin, and often flavorings ranging from bubble gum to watermelon — into a vapor that users can inhale. They deliver nicotine, a highly addictive drug, to the body without producing any smoke. The ADPH hopes these new regulations will help combat the use of these dangerous products.
Mike Ball to introduce new bill aimed at decriminalizing marijuana medicinal oil
A new bill aimed at decriminalizing the possession of CBD oil will likely come up for discussion during the upcoming legislative session, according to the bill’s sponsor, GOP state Rep. Mike Ball of Huntsville). A previous bill, “Carly’s Law,” gave the University of Alabama – Birmingham the opportunity to research the use of CBD oil, a medicinal oil derived from marijuana but containing little of the “high-inducing” chemical THC, and eventually led to chemical trials for children and adults suffering from myriad ailments. However, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration narrowed the margins for who could have access to the medicine, many of the state’s most needy were denied access to the program. Specifically Leni Young and her family, who fled to Oregon last year where access to the oil is more readily available. “They’re refugees,” Ball said. Leni’s parents fought tirelessly for “Carly’s Law,” only to see their daughter, who suffers from intractable complex epilepsy and a rare form of cerebral palsy, left out of the trials and following dispersion of medication. Since moving to Oregon and using “high CBD cannabis oil” regularly, Leni has gone from hundreds of seizures a day to one every four to six weeks and has had her cocktail of medication reduced by 20 percent with no adverse side effects. Further, Leni is using her hands for the first time, engaging with her family more thoroughly and able to sit on her own with minimal assistance. Thus, Ball will introduce “Leni’s Law” during the upcoming session. “This is a spiritual issue, not a political issue” Ball said. “It’s time to take this step.” To ensure that his bill is on legal footing, Ball had the bill drafted by the Alabama Law Institute and is planning to have it examined by district attorneys. Ball noted that the issue is complex – federal law has created a climate where doctors are afraid to prescribe the drug and desperate families are afraid to be in possession of it. For that reason, Ball believes a resolution should be drafted to petition the federal government to change its stance on marijuana policy, specifically as it pertains to the use and dispersion of CBD oil, and the Alabama legislature should eradicate fears of prosecution for potential patients. “These people are not criminals,” Ball said. “It’s just common sense. Leni is the catalyst for me, but there are lots of other families who need this medication and we have got to do something to help them.”
