The public will have an opportunity tonight to learn more about the Jan. 22 explosion at International Paper’s mill in Cantonment. An overview of the incident will be given, followed by a…
Category: Health
American Lung Association wants age for tobacco sales raised to 21
The American Lung Association’s latest “State of Tobacco Control†report has found that in 2016 Florida failed to do enough to implement proven-effective policies that would save lives. The report added a…
Watch for how medical marijuana is implemented
By DARA KAM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA A key senator Thursday released the Legislature’s first attempt at carrying out a constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana, with the proposal calling…
A man saved by Ashley Hardaway Theriot
When Ashley passed, she became an organ donor. She has impacted the lives of at least eight people. The New York Post reported on how her kidney saved the life of a…
Gaetz: Obamacare repeal begins today
Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL1) said on “Pensacola Speaks” yesterday that the repeal of Obamacare will begin today. The House of Representatives will pass the Senate budget that will set up the reconciliation…
Sacred Heart to open clinics in Walgreens
Walgreens and Sacred Heart Health System have signed an agreement to have Sacred Heart operate and provide all clinical services at four retail health clinics to be located within Walgreens stores in…
Three out of four Pensacola voters wanted medical marijuana
The City of Pensacola voters overwhelmingly voted for Amendment 2 that legalized medical marijuana in Florida. In fact, the City had a slightly higher percentage in favor of the amendment than other areas of…
Rick Scott possible pick for Health and Human Services secretary
Politico has speculated that Florida Gov. Rick Scott is a contender to be Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, as is Dr. Ben Carson. Carson was the Director of Pediatric…
Preterm birth rate in Florida increases. Escambia County drops but not for black mothers
Florida’s preterm birth rate increased slightly to 10 percent in 2015 from 9.9 percent in 2014, according to the 2016 March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card. The state received a “C”…
Obamacare premiums in Florida jump 17 percent, but no increase with tax credit
Health insurance premiums on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces were announced earlier this week. Nationally, the average rate increase is projected to 22 percent, before accounting for tax credits. However, the rate…
Teen birth rates drop steeply nationally and locally
Teen births hit a new low in 2015 nationally, statewide and in Escambia County. The birth rates dropped by nearly half. New federal data shows nationally there were 22.3 births for every…
Study: April 2014 floods led to increase in respiratory problems
University of West Florida researchers helped author a first-of-its-kind study that assessed the health effects of the devastating flood that struck the Pensacola area in April 2014. Dr. Jason Ortegren, associate professor…
Scott ask Congress to act on Zika
By LLOYD DUNKELBERGER THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA With 70 confirmed cases resulting from Florida mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus, Gov. Rick Scott traveled to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to implore Congress…
Scott, CDC Chief detail ‘aggressive’ efforts to curb Zika
By LLOYD DUNKELBERGER THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA Gov. Rick Scott joined the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday in Miami to talk about state and…
Scott: State to offer free Zika virus tests for pregnant women
While in Gulf Breeze this morning, Gov. Rick Scott said the state’s health departments will offer pregnant women free tests for the Zika virus. “I’ve been traveling the state to make sure…
Escambia County has second Zika virus case [podcast]
The Florida Department of Health announced today that Escambia County has its second confirmed Zika virus case. Yesterday, I interviewed Dr. Antonio Crespo of Orlando Health about the virus. Dr. Crespo was…
Medical pot to hit market next week
By DARA KAM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA Medical marijuana could be available to a select group of Florida patients as early as next week, after health officials gave the go-ahead for…
Pensacola health system ranks 266 of 306 U.S. communities
This 2016 edition of The Commonwealth Fund’s Scorecard on Local Health System Performance assesses the state of health care in more than 300 U.S. communities from 2011 through 2014, a period when…
Charlotte’s Web creators fight for Florida license
By DARA KAM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA More than two years after lawmakers legalized a limited type of medical marijuana, an administrative law judge heard arguments Wednesday in a dispute about…
Breaking news: Judge sides with Planned Parenthood
A federal judge late Thursday issued a preliminary injunction against two parts of a controversial new Florida abortion law that was to go in effect today. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle, in…
