BPHC

Liquid nicotine in a tube now illegal for Boston teens and in the workplace and restaurants

adamg — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:50:35 +0000

The Boston Public Health Commission yesterday enacted regulations that prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to anyone under 18 - and their use in the workplace. the new rules will also soon make it illegal to sell single cigars and doubles the fines for violations.

Boston public-health officials move to bar sale of new nicotine delivery systems to kids

adamg — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:37:42 +0000

The Boston Public Health Commission today approved draft regulations to ban the sale of "e-cgarettes" to minors, prohibit the sales of single cigars and double the fines for violating the city's tobacco-control rules.

The proposed e-cigarette regulations would cover devices that "are made of plastic and metal and heat a liquid nicotine solution in a disposable cartridge to create vapor that the smoker inhales," the board said in a statement.

There are no current laws that bar their sale to minors and already several convenience stores sell them, with more interested in pushing them, the board says. Under the proposed regulations, anybody who wants to sell e-cigarettes would require a city permit and would require the gizmos to be stored behind a counter, like cigarettes, and not sold to anyone under 18.

New England Aquarium volunteer diagnosed with measles

adamg — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 02:05:26 +0000

A Vermont teenager who volunteered at the New England Aquarium is Boston's latest measles patient, the Boston Public Health Commission reports.

The commission says anybody who worked at or visited the aquarium's main building after noon on May 19 or 22 and who isn't sure of their measles immunity status, should stay away from the public until June 9 or June 12, depending on which day. Although measles usually shows up 10 to 12 days after exposure, it can take up to three weeks to develop.

Early symptoms of the highly contagious disease can include a high fever, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. A skin rash usually occurs two to four days later and begins on the face but soon spreads to other parts of the body.

You did get a flu shot this time, right?

adamg — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:26:32 +0000

The Boston Public Health Commission reports a sharp rise in flu cases in the under-5 set likely signals the start of more widespread flu cases among adults.

Emergency-room visits for flu-like symptoms in general is up sharply over the past month, but especially among children under 5, the commission said today. Lab-test sampling - not everybody who shows up at an ER with fevery aches has samples sent for testing - shows 21% of cases are now among kids under 5, the commission said.

"If we're seeing this level of flu activity in children, then adults are likely to soon follow," said Dr. Anita Barry, director of the Infectious Disease Bureau "Influenza often starts in a community in children, then spreads to adults."

Barry said it's not too late to get a flu shot, which is now recommended for everybody over the age of six months.

Free flu clinics (there's one Friday in Uphams Corner).

Boston knows how to put on a flu clinic

adamg — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:56:44 +0000

Went to the Ohrenberger School in West Roxbury today for my swine-flu shot (yep, I'm in one of the risk groups). Based on what I'd read about some other flu clinics, I was braced for a long wait.

But no. There were a gazillion Boston Public Health Commission workers and EMTs there and lots of arrow signs and staunchions and stuff, and even with all the stops along the way to pick up brochures and fill out paperwork and hand in paperwork, I don't think I was there for more than ten minutes.

New group: Flu Fighters

adamg — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:49:23 +0000

New video from the Boston Public Health Commission: