Teen Cannabis Use May Affect Mental Health & Academics

Using marijuana just once or twice a month is associated with worse school performance and emotional distress for teens, according to a large national study of adolescents led by Ryan Sultán, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. The more frequently teens used cannabis, the more likely they were to report emotional distress and other social and academic problems.

“While previous studies have focused on the effects of frequent cannabis use among teens, our study found that any amount of cannabis use at all may put kids at risk of falling behind in school, and the kids using most often may have the greatest risk,” says Sultán, who studies adolescent substance use and is also a child and adolescent psychiatrist with Columbia and the Center for Youth Mental Health at NewYork-Presbyterian. “A few ‘harmless’ joints can snowball into real academic consequences. Teens using it regularly often struggle to focus, miss school, and may lose interest in their future plans.”

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Protect Your Lungs From Firework Smoke

Fireworks are a summertime staple and an iconic element of Independence Day celebrations. However, many people don’t realize that the resulting smoke is hazardous. The American Lung Association is educating the public on the risks associated with firework smoke and sharing tips to enjoy these spectacular displays more safely.

When fireworks explode, they release irritating gases and harmful metals, including carbon monoxide, aluminum and cadmium, into the air. Firework smoke also contains tiny particles, known as particulate matter (PM), which can irritate the lungs, trigger asthma attacks and cause other respiratory symptoms. It’s also important to note that particulate matter levels tend to be elevated not only during the fireworks, but for hours or even days afterward. The amount of pollution depends on how big the fireworks are, how long they last, and the weather conditions at the time. Breathing in firework smoke is unhealthy for everyone, but children, older adults, those who are pregnant and individuals with lung or heart disease are especially vulnerable.

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Virtua Names Two Senior VP Physicians

Virtua Health, South Jersey’s largest health system, has appointed two accomplished physicians to senior vice president roles. Drs. Eric Sztejman and Sam Weiner will expand their leadership roles across the not-for-profit health system, while continuing to provide expert care to their patients.

Eric Sztejman, MD, MMM, is now senior vice president of acute care services. In this role, he partners with clinical and administrative leaders to advance quality outcomes, strengthen operational performance, and support the ongoing expansion and evolution of acute care offerings across the health system.

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Air Quality Alert until 12:00AM Thursday

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a code orange air quality alert Wednesday for Southwestern New Jersey. A code orange air quality alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include children…people suffering from asthma… heart disease or other lung diseases…and the elderly. The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors. For more information on ground-level ozone and fine particles…visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/

* AFFECTED AREAS: GLOUCESTER … CAMDEN … NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON

What You Need to Know About Lyme Disease

by Penn State Health

Newswise — Summer means ample healthy outdoor activities, but the tiny deer tick may have other plans for us. This particular arachnid carries a bacterium that causes Lyme disease which, if left untreated, can lead to severe health problems. As Pennsylvania leads the nation in Lyme disease infections, it is critical that all in the Commonwealth know how to minimize the risk of contracting the disease and recognize the symptoms of an infection.

Prevention in the backyard and beyond

Ticks can dwell anywhere, but they thrive in the woods and areas that are damp, dark or overgrown, according to Tara Simmons, a community health nurse at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. That includes lawns that are overgrown or near wooded areas.

“Mow your lawn,” Simmons said. “And if your kids have a playset in the backyard that borders trees, create a barrier of wood chips. Ticks will have difficulty crossing a dry, sunny area.” Removing rock and brush piles where mice live can also help reduce tick populations around your home.

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“Code Red” Heat Advisory

The Camden County Office of Emergency Management declared that that Camden County will be under a Code Red Advisory for the following dates and times due to projected dangerously high temperatures by the National Weather Service:

Wednesday, July 1, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Thursday, July 2, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Friday, July 3, 7:00 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Saturday, July 4, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Sunday, July 5, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.

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Crowded, Dirty Conditions at South Jersey Prison

The dining hall at Bayside State Prison in Leesburg now is used for storage, forcing incarcerated people to eat all three meals in their cells. (Photo courtesy of New Jersey Corrections Ombudsperson)

By:Dana DiFilippo

While state and federal lawmakers have blasted the Trump administration for deplorable conditions at Newark migrant jail Delaney Hall, New Jersey’s prisons watchdog has issued a new report detailing overcrowding, intolerable heat, and other deficiencies at Bayside State Prison in Cumberland County.

Bayside, one of the state’s largest lockups, now houses almost 1,300 people, more than twice its capacity, according to the report released Tuesday by the state corrections ombudsperson’s office. The mixed-security prison, which opened in 1971 in Leesburg, was built to hold 504 people.

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Air Quality Alert until 12:00AM Wednesday

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a code orange air quality alert Tuesday for Southwestern New Jersey. A code orange air quality alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include children…people suffering from asthma… heart disease or other lung diseases…and the elderly. The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors. For more information on ground-level ozone and fine particles…visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/

* AFFECTED AREAS: GLOUCESTER … CAMDEN … NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON

Jefferson Health Foot & Ankle Surgeon Shares Tips for Staying Active and Injury-Free

The average person takes about 35,000 steps per week – and that number typically increases in warmer weather. Proper foot care is an important part of our overall health and taking precautions now can prevent problems later on.

“During the summer, there are more foot and ankle problems, whether from going barefoot, wearing the wrong sandals or overdoing it on the tennis court,” says foot & ankle surgeon Albert D’Angelantonio, DPM, from Jefferson Foot & Ankle in Haddonfield, NJ. The good news, he adds, is that many of these issues are preventable with some preparation.

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Virtua Lourdes Celebrates Construction Milestone

Virtua Health celebrated a key construction milestone on June 9 at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden. The not-for-profit health system held a topping-off ceremony to mark the placement of the final steel beam atop the hospital’s new patient tower. The Marvin Samson Pavilion is part of a $500 million renovation and expansion at the Haddon Avenue institution, which marked its 75th anniversary last year.

The nearly 200,000-square-foot addition is slated for completion in the spring of 2028. It will increase the hospital’s size by 35%, and will serve as the hospital’s main entrance. The seven-story pavilion will have six floors for patient care.

The building is named for businessman and philanthropist Marvin Samson, who has pledged $5 million – the largest gift in Virtua’s history – in support of the health system’s education and workforce development programs.

Samson, a Virtua board member and longtime supporter, is also the namesake of the Virtua Samson Cancer Center in Moorestown, N.J.