Poisonous algae bloom affected major cities and fishing towns in Chile in 2016. Experts said it was linked to high temperatures stemming from the El Niño.
Last month, NOAA said there was a 62% chance that El Niño would develop between May and July. Things have rapidly progressed, and now there is a 90% chance of El Niño forming and persisting into the end of this year, according to NOAA.
These two “siblings” are global climate shifts that are marked by cooler or warmer ocean temperatures and changes in global air currents, which alter weather and storm patterns. La Niña is associated with lower-than-average ocean temperatures, while El Niño is the opposite. Experts have noticed quickly rising ocean temperatures lately, one of the signs of a formation year.
What can we expect now that The Boy is coming to town? Ocean temperatures are going to rise above average. The Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be milder, because storms are more likely to form there during La Niña years. However, storms are more likely to form in the Pacific. In the U.S., the shift brings more rain to southern states and to the East Coast. It also brings warmer temperatures to northern states.
El Niño years are especially hot. This was certainly true in 2016, one of the hottest years on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Scorching temperatures have already pummeled Southeast Asia—just last week, Vietnam recorded its hottest temperature ever. Expect more extreme heat to come this year.
What Is Vitamin D3? And How Is It Different From Plain Ol’ Vitamin D? These and More Questions Answered Here
May Hwang – May 11, 2023
As a woman, prioritizing your health and well-being is essential to living a long and productive life. One way to do this is to ensure your diet includes sufficient vitamins and minerals. At the top of the nutrient list is one vitamin, in particular: vitamin D3. Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D3 is produced naturally in our skin when exposed to sunlight. But let’s be honest. Our modern lives are lived primarily indoors, which means that most of us don’t get as much sun as we should. This is a problem, as vitamin D3 has been linked to several important health benefits, especially for women. Here’s a summary.
Vitamin D3 is also available through certain foods like fatty fish such as salmon or sardines; however, most of us don’t get enough from our diets alone. Thankfully, our bodies produce vitamin D3 naturally when exposed to sunlight. This occurs when 7-dehydrocholesterol (or zoosterol) in our skin is transformed into cholecalciferol, the active form of vitamin D3.
Is vitamin D3 the same as vitamin D?
Vitamin D3 is a form of vitamin D that our bodies can use more efficiently, meaning it’s more bioavailable to us. The other type of vitamin D, known as vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), is a plant-based form that is not as impactful in humans.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, getting tested for a vitamin D deficiency may be smart. Contact your doctor for advice and a referral to the appropriate testing facility.
People with darker skin: The higher levels of melanin in darker skin tones can make it harder for the body to absorb vitamin D3 from sunlight.
The elderly: As we age, our skin’s ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight decreases.
People who don’t get much sun exposure: This can include people who work indoors or wear sunscreen all the time.
Vegans and vegetarians: Animal-based foods are the main dietary source of vitamin D, so vegans and vegetarians need to be particularly mindful of their vitamin D intake.
Women: Female hormones can affect the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D.
It’s important to note that pregnant and nursing women are also at risk since they need extra nutrients to support the health of their babies. If you’re expecting, be sure to talk to your doctor about your vitamin D levels.
What are the benefits of vitamin D for women?
Vitamin D is essential for women for a whole lot of reasons. Here are just a few of the health benefits it provides:
Supports Mental Health
Did you know that vitamin D3 has a powerful impact on your mood? Research has shown that healthy levels of this vitamin can alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve overall mental well-being. This is because vitamin D3 helps trigger the release of feel-good hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine, in the brain.
Bolsters Immunity
Your immune system is your body’s frontline defense against illness, disease, and infection. Luckily, vitamin D3 can help keep your immune system strong, healthy, and ready to fight off anything bad that comes its way. It does this by activating T-cells, which are the cells responsible for attacking and destroying foreign invaders in the body.
Excessively low levels of vitamin D have been associated with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
Promotes Strong Bones and Teeth
As women, we’re at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis than men, which is why it’s so important to make sure you get enough Vitamin D3. It helps with calcium absorption, which is essential for bone health, Without it, calcium can’t be absorbed, leading to softer bones and an increased risk of fractures. It’s also associated with rickets in children, which can cause muscle weakness, and both older adults and children could experience the loss of bone minerals (osteomalacia).
Boosts Fertility
Vitamin D3 is essential for fertility, as it helps regulate your menstrual cycle and ovulation. Low levels of vitamin D3 have been linked to menstrual irregularity, which can make it harder to conceive. Additionally, vitamin D3 helps reduce inflammation, making it easier for the body to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Studies have shown that Vitamin D3 can reduce the risk of developing heart disease. By decreasing inflammation, reducing high blood pressure (hypertension), and improving cholesterol levels, this vitamin could be part of your overall wellness plan. Vitamin D3 also helps your body absorb other essential vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium and zinc, which act as antioxidants and protect your arteries from damage.
Reduces the Risk of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a major concern for women worldwide, with nearly 1 in 8 developing it at some point in our lives. Vitamin D3, however, can help reduce risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers believe this vitamin helps suppress the growth of cancer cells in the breast tissue, making it a vital part of breast cancer prevention.
It’s recommended that women get at least 600 International Units (IU) of vitamin D per day. This amount can be obtained through dietary sources such as eggs, fatty fish, or fortified plant-based milk, but the best way to get your daily dose is from exposure to sunlight. Just 15 minutes of sun daily can provide enough vitamin D to meet your needs. If you’re concerned that you have low levels of vitamin D, you can also talk to your doctor about taking a supplement.
Can too much vitamin D be dangerous?
Yes, it is possible to get too much vitamin D. This is called vitamin D toxicity. Overdosing on vitamin D can cause vomiting, dehydration, and even kidney damage in extreme cases. It’s also important to note that some medications can interact with vitamin D, so be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any vitamin D3 supplements.
How can you get more vitamin D?
Here are ten tricks to get you started:
1. Spend time outdoors.
Spend 15 to 20 minutes outside each day, or even better, go for a walk in the sun. As mentioned, you can get your daily dose of vitamin D from just a few minutes of sun exposure.
Look for foods that have been fortified with vitamin D, such as cereal, oatmeal, cod liver oil, and some brands of orange juice. Egg yolks have a smaller amount of vitamin D but have more saturated fat.
4. Take a supplement.
If you’re unable to get enough vitamin D from diet or sunlight, consider taking a dietary supplement. Talk to your healthcare provider about the appropriate amount for you.
When spending time outdoors, be sure to wear sunglasses and sunscreen to protect your eyes and skin from UV (ultraviolet) rays.
7. Check the time of day.
Optimize your sun exposure by going outside around 12 PM. This is when the sun’s rays are most intense, so you can get the most vitamin D in the shortest amount of time.
8. Consider a vitamin D test.
If you want to know exactly how much vitamin D you need, consider getting a vitamin D blood test. This way, you can get an accurate evaluation of your current levels and ensure you meet your daily needs.
9. Monitor sun exposure.
If you’re worried about overexposure to the sun, keep track of how long you spend outside each day. Getting enough sun is important, but it’s also important not to overdo it.
10. Keep a consistent routine.
Try to establish a consistent routine of going outside and getting your daily dose of vitamin D. With this, you can ensure that you’re meeting your recommended amounts daily.
Vitamin D3 and Me
Vitamin D3 plays a vital role in women’s health and well-being. The nutrient is often overlooked, but its benefits are significant. As women, we need to prioritize our health and include Vitamin D3 in our everyday routine. Whether it’s through sun exposure, diet, or supplements, getting adequate amounts of Vitamin D3 is crucial to maintaining healthy bones, a strong immune system, and overall well-being. So, let’s soak up the sun (with sunscreen, of course), eat Vitamin D-rich foods, and supplement as needed to reap the benefits of this sunshine vitamin!
How Much Does Sleep Actually Impact Dementia Risk? Brain Health Experts Explain
Emily Laurence – May 12, 2023
You don’t have to be a health expert to know that sleep (or lack of it) greatly impacts the body. Anyone who’s ever spent the night tossing and turning knows that not getting enough sleep means a day ahead of low energy, feeling cranky, trouble concentrating, and making unhealthy decisions. But not getting enough sleep has more than morning-after effects. A wealth of scientific studies show that consistently not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to long-term health in profound ways.
One that’s especially noteworthy is the connection between lack of sleep and dementia. Scientific studies have found that trouble falling or staying asleep, poor sleep quality and not sleeping long enough can all increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This raises other questions, such as why this connection exists and how much sleep you actually need at night to protect your mind. Here, brain health experts explain everything you need to know.
Why Does Lack of Sleep Increase the Risk of Dementia?
Brain health experts are still attempting to learn what exactly goes on in the brain while we sleep, but there’s no question that the mind needs rest to continue functioning. “While we don’t fully understand the relationship between sleep and dementia, we know there’s a harmful cycle in which poor sleep increases your risk for developing Alzheimer’s or another dementia and, in turn, the dementia is associated with lower quality sleep,” says Dr. Percy Griffin, Ph.D., the Alzheimer’s Association’s Director of Scientific Engagement.
Even though there’s still a lot to learn about what happens while we sleep, Dr. Griffin says what we do know is that sleep is when the brain removes waste materials and also stabilizes memories to hold onto long-term. “Sleep disruptions can impair these processes,” he says.
Dr. Schaefer explains that lack of sleep can cause an accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau, two proteins that build up in Alzheimer’s disease. As both experts explained above, REM sleep is when the brain removes these harmful toxins, preventing buildup. But Dr. Schaefer also points out that dementia is also a risk factor for poor sleep, so the relationship goes both ways. “If the reason for insufficient or poor-quality sleep is sleep apnea, or disturbed breathing during sleep, then the brain may get decreased oxygen which is also a risk factor for dementia,” she says.
Even though scientific researchers don’t know everything that happens inside the brain while we sleep, it’s clear that lack of sleep is detrimental to brain health. So, how much sleep helps protect against increasing the risk of dementia? Research shows that adults should be getting seven or more hours of sleep a night for optimal health. However, it can become harder to get consistent, good sleep as we age.
Reasons Why People Over 50 May Struggle With Sleep
People of any age can struggle with getting enough sleep, but there are certain reasons in particular why people over 50 may have a hard time. “As we age, there are changes to the part of the brain that controls the timing of sleep,” Dr. Griffin says. “These changes affect how long it takes to fall asleep, when you feel tired, and how many times you wake up at night.”
Dr. Schaefer says that common reasons include aches and pain, restless leg syndrome, increased urination or sleep apnea. She adds that there are also certain medications that can disrupt sleep.
People over 50 can also have trouble sleeping for the same reasons anyone else can. Perhaps they have a partner who snores. They may be experiencing anxiety or depression. Or, they work long or unusual work hours, which can impact their sleep.
Tips for Getting Enough Sleep To Protect Your Brain
Since getting enough sleep is crucial for brain health, if you aren’t getting enough, it’s important to take action. Both experts say that figuring out the root cause of your sleep issues is the first step. Then, act accordingly. For example, if you are experiencing aches and pain, restless leg syndrome or other sleep-preventing health ailments highlighted above, it’s important to see your healthcare provider and work together toward finding a solution.
Dr. Schaefer says that practicing good sleep hygiene can also go a long way in improving sleep. This means having a consistent bedtime, not using screens before bed, minimizing caffeine and alcohol, and having a wind-down routine in place that will help you feel relaxed as you power down for the night. “Some over-the-counter products, like low-dose melatonin or magnesium, can help, but one should speak to their primary care provider before starting anything,” she adds.
Not only will being well-rested decrease your risk for dementia, but you’ll find yourself feeling more energized in your day-to-day life too. That will help set you up for other healthy habits, such as eating nutrient-rich foods and exercising regularly—a dementia-preventing domino effect. And it all starts with sleep.
Autoimmune Diseases Are on the Rise in Women — Here’s What To Look Out for and How You Might Treat Them
Deborah Skolnik – May 12, 2023
When your immune system is healthy, it’s like having a personal ninja warrior at your disposal. This ninja is focused on one specific mission: to protect your body from threats such as germs, unhealthy changes in cells, and harmful foreign substances. In some people, though, the immune system becomes confused about whom the enemy is and attacks the body instead. The assault can happen anywhere, from joints and blood vessels to endocrine glands, causing what are known as an autoimmune diseases. More than 24 million Americans have one, and the complications can often be life-threatening.
Even worse, the incidence of autoimmune disorders in the United States is steadily rising. “These issues are becoming the new epidemic,” says internist Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, a fibromyalgia expert in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, and author of From Fatigued to Fantastic! A Clinically Proven Program to Regain Vibrant Health and Overcome Chronic Fatigue. “We’re seeing about a 3 to 9 percent increase per year in autoimmune diseases [with some more on the rise than others]. It’s more than compounding every 25 years,” he shares. These stats are rising the most among women — nearly 80 percent of sufferers are female. It’s a staggering difference that raises an obvious question: Why?
Why Women?
“The answer to that is estrogen,” says Stuart D. Kaplan, MD, chief of rheumatology at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, New York, and a partner in Rheumatology Consultants, LLP, in Hewlett, New York. “It’s been shown that estrogens rev up the autoimmune process,” he shares.- ADVERTISEMENT -https://s.yimg.com/rq/darla/4-11-1/html/r-sf-flx.html
Another potential reason for the gender gap is the chromosomal difference between males and females. “Men have an XY chromosome and women have an XX. A lot of immune genes are on the X chromosome. Because of that, women have kind of a double dose of risk for [immune-related] genetic defects,” Teitelbaum says. Bottom line: While women are at greater risk than men, both sexes are vulnerable to the consequences of an immune system gone rogue.
Common Autoimmune Disorders
The statistics are undoubtedly frightening, but the news isn’t entirely bad. You can at least partially control many of these disorders through medications, which often subdue the immune system. In some cases, there are also ways to feel better without any drugs at all. Currently, more than 80 autoimmune diseases have been identified. Some are very rare, but doctors see the following conditions regularly:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
In this disorder, the immune system attacks the lining inside the joints, causing inflammation and, over time, bone loss and misshapen joints. RA can also affect other parts of the body, including the eyes, lungs, and heart. RA’s symptoms, which can come and go, include a few you might expect, as well as a few you might not. Sufferers may feel stiffness in their joints that is typically worse in the morning and after physical exertion, and their joints may often be warm, tender, and swollen. Additional red flags — fever, tiredness, and a lack of appetite — can be mistaken for other illnesses.
Treatment
Fortunately, medications can often help alleviate RA’s effects. Doxycycline, an antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties, is an inexpensive treatment, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly prescribed for the redness, heat, and swelling. When NSAIDs don’t help or RA is severe, a physician may prescribe a drug called methotrexate (also known as Trexall, Rasuvo, or Otrexup), which can slow the disease’s progression. It’s one of a class of medications known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, or DMARDs.
As recently as 2019, a review of research in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences concluded methotrexate is still one of the most efficient RA therapies. Some of the latest drugs to treat RA are a whole new class of DMARDs called biologics. Synthesized or derived from living organisms, they generally target the various immune cells linked to inflammation to try to halt the disease process. Rituximab is one such biologic, a lab-engineered antibody, that’s being used to treat RA alone or with other drugs.
Alternative Therapies
Curamin, a dietary supplement aimed at reducing inflammation, may be beneficial for some RA patients, says Teitelbaum. Among its ingredients is curcumin, an anti-inflammatory chemical found in turmeric. About a half-dozen other herbal remedies have shown promise in addressing RA’s miseries as well, including Indian frankincense or boswellia serrata (another ingredient in Curamin), aloe vera, ginger, and green tea.
Hashimoto’s Disease
When your immune system attacks your thyroid, the gland near the base of your throat becomes inflamed and its functioning can become impaired. “Hashimoto’s is the most common cause of hypothyroid [low thyroid-gland activity],” says Teitelbaum. “If people have symptoms of fatigue, weight gain, achiness, cold intolerance, constipation, or infertility, I will test them. It can be diagnosed with a simple blood test.”
Treatment
A standard thyroid blood panel will often indicate a patient is in the normal range for thyroid function, “but ‘normal’ only means they’re not in the lowest 2 percent of the population,” Teitelbaum says. If a patient is still exhibiting the symptoms of hypothyroidism, he’ll prescribe desiccated thyroids (one brand name is Armour Thyroid) to supplement their body’s natural thyroid hormones. Many doctors prescribe a synthetic thyroid medication called Synthroid, but Teitelbaum contends it doesn’t work well in a significant number of his patients.
Alternative Therapies
Most non-drug therapies for Hashimoto’s don’t yet have a scientific stamp of approval, though traditional treatments such as Chinese medicine (acupuncture and herbs) are being studied. Preliminary studies have found that selenium supplements may lower antibody levels. However, a 2013 review of all existing data, published in the European Thyroid Journal, found more evidence is needed.
Grave’s Disease
This autoimmune disorder is pretty much the opposite of Hashimoto’s: The immune system causes the thyroid to become inflamed in a way that causes it to make too much thyroid hormone. “It’s kind of the difference between feeling slow and sluggish vs. feeling like you’ve had 10 pots of coffee,” Teitelbaum says. “You’re going to seem like a country western song when you have Graves’ disease — your wife leaves, your dog leaves, and you get fired. People are emotional train wrecks.” Beyond anger and irritability, some key symptoms include enlargement of the thyroid gland (called a goiter), trembling hands, a change in menstrual cycles for women, and bulging eyes.
Treatment
It involves taking methimazole, which blocks the overproduction of thyroid hormone. Radioactive iodine therapy is another option. It gradually destroys the overactive thyroid (and then you take something like Synthroid to replace the hormones). Teitelbaum prefers methimazole, however, contending it’s safer and less expensive. Another class of drugs, beta blockers, alleviate some symptoms of Graves’ rather than addressing the excess level of thyroid hormones. In some cases, doctors will recommend surgically removing all or part of the gland.
Alternative Therapies
Dietary changes — following an anti-inflammatory eating style and eliminating any food allergens — can help with some symptoms. Ask your doctor if you should avoid or limit certain foods that contain large amounts of iodine, including seaweed and kelp. It’s also wise to touch base with your healthcare provider about any supplements, multivitamins, or cough syrups you take, because these may contain iodine or interfere with your prescribed medication. Your thyroid modulates your metabolism and has a role in multiple body systems so don’t put off seeking proven treatments.
Multiple Sclerosis
The symptoms of this disorder, which arises when the body’s immune system attacks the protective coating of the body’s nerve cells, are alarming: “You can have a sudden loss of function in one arm, or one leg and numbness,” Teitelbaum says. “I’m not talking about numbness and tingling fingers, but where it’s so numb that you could stick a needle through it and you wouldn’t feel it. You may also have loss of vision in one eye.” If these symptoms flare up and then recede, the condition is called relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (about 85 percent of people with MS have this type, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.)
Treatment
A drug called copolymer-1 has been a leading treatment for MS for the past two decades. It significantly reduces flare-ups in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Acute attacks can be treated with corticosteroids and a procedure called plasma exchange, in which your blood’s plasma is removed, and the blood cells are combined with a protein solution and returned to the body. There are also biologics effective for relapsing-remitting MS and the primary-progressive form of the disease, which has no remissions.
Alternative Therapies
Beyond drugs, physical therapy can boost patients’ strength and flexibility, and make everyday tasks easier to perform. Doctors also recommend exercise; keeping cool (a rise in body temperature can worsen symptoms) and managing stress through things like practicing yoga and mindfulness, since anxiety can exacerbate MS symptoms. Some research has shown that vitamin D and probiotic supplements can be helpful for some people with MS.
Psoriasis
When one type of white blood cell, called a T-helper lymphocyte, becomes overactive, it produces chemicals that cause the skin (and possibly some other organs and tissues) to become inflamed. This autoimmune disorder can have effects that are both highly visible and hidden. In the skin, the blood vessels widen, and skin cells grow abnormally fast. Usually it takes these cells a month to mature and be shed from the body, but with psoriasis, the process takes only a few days. Instead of falling away, the skin cells accumulate on the surface causing thickened, red, scaly skin. In some cases, these plaques can be itchy, painful, and burning. (Because other organs are also affected by psoriasis, sufferers may experience stiffness, pain, and swelling in the joints and surrounding areas.)
Treatment
A wide variety of therapies can help ease the symptoms of psoriasis or slow its progression. Corticosteroid ointments and shampoos can be applied to plaques or other sensitive areas such as skin folds and the face. Others, including certain types of synthetic vitamin D, may slow cell growth. There are also topical treatments to reduce scaling and itching. (In certain cases, your doctor may prescribe oral or injected medications that have these same effects.) Biologics geared toward psoriasis can produce results quickly by interrupting the T cell actions specifically.
Alternative Therapies
Light therapy, in which the skin is exposed to artificial or natural light, is sometimes used in combination with medications. Weight loss can also be effective: A 2019 study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that a low-calorie diet reduced the severity of psoriasis in patients with obesity by at least 75 percent.
Lupus
While many autoimmune diseases seem to attack one specific area of the body, this disease is broader. It creates antibodies that can have widespread effects. “The body is fighting itself, and you can get inflammation of almost every organ,” says Kaplan. “People with lupus will have fevers, rashes, joint pain, inflammation of the kidneys, and sometimes even central nervous system abnormalities.”
Treatment
Because steroids are the most effective anti-inflammatories, they’re often used to treat lupus, especially when it involves a vital organ such as the brain. “If you don’t use high-dose steroids, the person is going to die,” Kaplan explains. “In situations like that, you have no choice, but you always try to taper down the steroids as quickly as you can.” DHEA supplements, a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland, may also help. More commonly recommended medications include OTC anti-inflammatories (such as naproxen and ibuprofen); antimalarial drugs, which can halt flares and possibly extend patients’ lives, and even chemotherapy for severe cases. A biologic called belimumab targets a protein in the disease process.
Alternative Therapies
A 2019 study in the journal Lupusis one of the latest to suggest that healthy lifestyle changes can improve the symptoms and quality of life for lupus sufferers. The trials, which included psychological interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness and psychotherapy, and other interventions such as exercise and electro-acupuncture (the needles are stimulated with a low amount of electricity), had encouraging results. These non-drug-oriented treatments improved some participants’ pain as well as their overall fatigue. Perhaps most important, the interventions lessened the incidence of anxiety and depression.
Whatever your autoimmune condition, it’s important to work with a specialist who will listen to you and your concerns and help you find the best type of treatment. The options should always include lifestyle changes, including physical activity, dietary shifts, stress management, sleep, and more since, besides aiding overall health, these will help control inflammation and improve gut health and other metabolic functions that can impact autoimmune conditions.
A version of this article appeared in our partner magazine, The Complete Guide to Anti-Inflammation.
Pancreatic cancer rates are spiking in women 55 and under. Experts don’t yet know why.
Korin Miller – May 10, 2023
Pancreatic cancer rates are spiking in women under 55, according to a recent study. (llustration: Blake Cale; Photo: Getty Images)
Allison Lippman-Kuban was just 31 when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017. Lippman-Kuban tells Yahoo Life that she first developed symptoms of the disease after she returned from a vacation in France with her boyfriend.
“I was having severe abdominal pain that shot into my back,” she says. “I had weight loss, fatigue, trouble digesting food — a lot of gastrointestinal issues.”
Lippman-Kuban reached out to her doctor and had tests scheduled with specialists, including a colonoscopy, to try to figure out what was behind her sudden pain. “But the pain got so severe that I ended up going to the hospital,” she says. She was hospitalized for five days, where she underwent a slew of tests. “I left with a diagnosis of neuroendocrine cancer and was later told it was stage 4 pancreatic cancer,” she says.
“I was just shocked,” Lippman-Kuban says. “I questioned everything, including why was my boyfriend staying with me. I had just been promoted at my job — I was nervous that I was going to lose that. Then, the fear of all of that subsided, and it was more, How long do I have to live?“
Lippman-Kuban says she was urged “to do chemo as long as I could,” but her doctor also sent her biopsy to a lab for genetic sequencing. Her specific biomarker (a gene, protein or other substance that provides information about a type of cancer) qualified her for a clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “I’ve been on that trial for five and a half years now,” she says.
She says she’s had a “change of lifestyle” on the trial. “I stopped chemo, I take two pills in the morning and two pills each afternoon,” she says. “Within a month, my strength started coming back, my hair started coming back, and I was able to start rediscovering myself.”
Lippman-Kuban’s cancer isn’t gone, but her tumors have shrunk by 70%. “I now treat my cancer as a chronic illness,” she says. “I just take my medicine in the morning and the evening. I don’t have any side effects from it, which is great.”
Teona Ducre was just 41 when she was diagnosed with stage 3 pancreatic cancer in 2016. She tells Yahoo Life she had “extreme pain” in her lower stomach and lower back, along with exhaustion, indigestion and “substantial” weight loss. “Upon my initial diagnosis, I was in disbelief and did not fully appreciate the significance of the fact that pancreatic cancer is most often terminal,” she says.
Ducre discovered the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), a patient advocacy and research organization, and received guidance on her form of cancer, along with what to expect for treatment. She then underwent six months of chemotherapy, followed by surgery and five more months of chemotherapy. She’s now a pancreatic cancer survivor. “Survival is not some specified date in the future when the tumor is gone —survival is every single day a person wakes up and did not succumb to the disease,” she says.
Paula Mack Drill was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer five years ago, when she was in her mid-50s. She tells Yahoo Life that she had been on sabbatical for three months from her job as a rabbi and “was coming off the most healthy, toxic-free diet” when she started having symptoms. Drill hosted people at her house for Passover Seder and kept eating a chocolate and caramel dessert that she jokingly refers to as “Matzo Crack.” “Around 5 a.m. the next morning, I had terrible stomach pain, which I assumed was from eating Matzo Crack,” she says. “But it got worse and worse as the day went on.”
The pain became so intense that Drill went to the emergency room. She was first diagnosed with pancreatitis — inflammation of the pancreas — but was later informed that the doctors had found a tumor. They suspected that she had pancreatic cancer (something that could only be confirmed with surgery) and needed surgery to remove the tumor, which was scheduled for three weeks from then.
“I was in deep denial,” she says of her diagnosis, noting that she didn’t look up anything about pancreatic cancer online. “I did not understand that pancreatic cancer is a killer,” she added.
Drill’s doctor was Dr. Russell C. Langan, director of surgical oncology, Northern Region at RWJBarnabas Health, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. “He saved my life,” she says. He performed a procedure known as a Whipple procedure, to remove the head of the pancreas, where Drill’s tumor was located.
“It’s a very intense, really hard surgery, and he came to me after the surgery and was practically crying,” Drill says. “He was able to take the tumor out. I was encapsulated. It hadn’t spread.”
Drill, who was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer, says she had “heavy-duty chemo” after that twice a month for six months, followed by radiation therapy.
Now, she says she feels “100% better.” She just had a five-year scan that was clear. “Now, when I go in, it’s like a little party,” Drill says. “Everyone is happy, and we have a little celebration. I feel great.”
Pancreatic cancer rates are spiking in women of under age 55
While cancer rates have fallen in the U.S. as a whole over the last few years, there’s been a disturbing rise in pancreatic cancer diagnoses. More specifically, rates are spiking in women under the age of 55.
A study published in the journal Gastroenterologyin February analyzed data from nearly 455,000 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between 2001 and 2018 and found that, while rates of the disease rose overall, they climbed in younger women. Specifically, the researchers found that the rates of pancreatic cancer in women under 55 rose 2.4% higher than those of men of the same age. The researchers also noted in the study that the trend did not appear to be “slowing down.”
Pancreatic cancer has a reputation as a fatal disease — its overall five-year survival rate is just 12% — and it used to be known as a cancer for older people. It also typically doesn’t cause symptoms until it is in the advanced stages, Dr. Anne Noonan, a medical oncologist with the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, tells Yahoo Life.
While the majority of pancreatic cancer cases are people in their 70s, doctors say they’ve seen an increase in the number of younger patients over the past few years. “We are certainly seeing more patients with pancreas cancer, and some patients are younger than the usual age at which we typically see it,” Noonan says. “Sometimes patients are in their 40s, 30s and even 20s.”
Pancreatic cancer is “still largely a disease of aging,” Dr. Shubham Pant, an associate professor in the department of gastrointestinal medical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells Yahoo Life. “We are seeing a handful more of younger patients,” he says. “Before, we would see one or two a year. Now we are seeing five or more a year. It is increasing, but it’s a relative increase.”
Why are pancreatic cancer rates on the rise in women?
It’s not entirely clear. The most recent study only found an increase in cases — and did not explore why they’re on the rise. Langan says it’s possible that this could be due to an increase in obesity rates or alcohol consumption, but it could also be due to a variety of causes. “I would favor the cause being multifactorial,” he tells Yahoo Life.
“There are a number of theories,” Noonan says, including that pancreatic cancer may be linked to a high-fat diet, smoked and processed meats, physical inactivity and certain genetic mutations.
“But it’s very hard to say right now,” Pant says. “While the numbers are increasing, they are still very small.”
Pancreatic cancer symptoms can be easily confused with those of other illness, but may include jaundice, belly or back pain, weight loss and poor appetite and nausea and vomiting, according to the American Cancer Society.
Lippman-Kuban stresses the importance of getting evaluated by a doctor if you develop any symptoms. “If I had not pursued the pain and the treatment, I don’t know if I’d be here,” she says.
Sheriff’s Dept. program to track presence of flesh-eating street drug in Los Angeles
Keri Blakinger – May 10, 2023
A man smokes fentanyl mixed with methamphetamine in an alley in Los Angeles in August. “In the greater Los Angeles area we are seeing xylazine as an additive within fake fentanyl pills,” said Nicole Nishida, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (Jae C. Hong / AP)
Amid troubling signs that a dangerous sedative known as “tranq” has spread even further into the local street drug supply, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has launched a pilot program to better document the drug’s presence.
Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer that began appearing several years ago in illicit pills and powders on the East Coast. It’s been linked to deaths across the country and can cause human tissue to rot, leaving users with grisly wounds that sometimes lead to amputations.
In early March, county health officials initially said they weren’t sure whether the deadly adulterant had begun appearing on the streets of Los Angeles. Weeks later, the Times learned that the Sheriff’s Department crime lab had been detecting signs of xylazine in drug samples for at least four years — but they’d never told the health department or the public.
At the time, department officials said that was because, despite its harms, xylazine is not illegal, so formally tracking it was beyond the scope of their work.
Now, though, the pilot program could help change that.
Starting in mid-April, crime lab analysts began making note of any preliminary signs of xylazine they spotted while testing samples of confiscated drugs. In the past, even when lab workers noticed test results that seemed to show the presence of xylazine, they didn’t typically make any note of it. Instead, they treated it like any other legal substances commonly used as additives in illegal drugs.
“There are a bunch of different additives — like vitamin C, which comes up a lot — that we don’t write down,” said Capt. Ernest Bille, who oversees the department’s Scientific Services Bureau. “The mission, given the volume of the caseload that we have, is to figure out: Is this a controlled substance or not?”
Over the course of a month-long trial run, officials hope to get a better sense of how often they typically see presumptive positives for xylazine. If the number is relatively low, they’ll keep tracking for another month, Bille said. If it’s high, they’ll begin figuring out standards for doing additional confirmatory tests in the future — just as they would for illegal drugs.
“This is going to be very unique for us, because I’m asking them to track a non-controlled substance,” Bille said.
The move to track the dangerous sedative — spurred in part by conversations with UCLA researchers who study illicit drugs — comes as federal data shows an uptick in the drug’s presence across the county and in Southern California.
“In the greater Los Angeles area we are seeing xylazine as an additive within fake fentanyl pills,” said Nicole Nishida, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “While the numbers are relatively low in our community compared to elsewhere in the United States, the presence of xylazine is now becoming more frequent and the trend is concerning.”
Federal data show that about 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% fentanyl pills seized last year contained xylazine. Nishida said those figures were around 3% and 8% for the greater Los Angeles region over that same period.
A drug user in Los Angeles holds pieces of fentanyl in August. Federal data show that about 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% fentanyl pills seized last year contained xylazine. Those figures were around 3% and 8% for the greater Los Angeles region over that same period. (Jae C. Hong / AP)
But those numbers might be less telling for Angelenos than they first appear: The Los Angeles Field Division’s region is so broad that it includes most of Southern California as well as Nevada, Hawaii and the territories of Guam and Saipan.
It’s not clear whether the xylazine samples were concentrated in one part of that region, and officials did not provide data more specific to Los Angeles County.
So far, law enforcement efforts to quantify and document the presence of xylazine in Los Angeles street drugs have been relatively limited — though, aside from the DEA figures, there are a growing number of signs of its presence.
An early public indication of the drug came in February, when a county health official confirmed to The Times that one man — a 25-year-old in El Monte — had trace levels of xylazine in his body when he died in December 2021. But the drug was present in such small amounts that the county medical examiner listed “combined effects of ethanol and fentanyl” as the cause of death.
Then in March, the county’s Department of Public Health issued a news release warning Angelenos that the sedative was “increasingly present within illicit drugs in California” and that it was now “likely present” in Los Angeles.
The news release mentioned the 2021 death and several others elsewhere in the state. However, although it said that xylazine had been detected in samples in cities to the north and to the south, it said nothing about whether there had been similar finds locally.
Then last month — a few weeks after the Sheriff’s Department admitted seeing signs of xylazine for at least four years — the UCLA researchers studying local street drugs confirmed finding the sedative in a sample of black tar heroin.
“It’s just another indication that it’s here in L.A.,” said Chelsea Shover, an epidemiologist and health services researcher at UCLA. “And it’s really important for people who use drugs to know that.”
One of the reasons xylazine is regarded as a particularly dangerous additive in street drugs is that, since it is not an opioid, the overdose-reversal medication naloxone is not effective on it.
Still, Shover said, if you believe that someone you know has overdosed on xylazine, the best course of action is to give them naloxone and call 911. Typically, xylazine is mixed with fentanyl to extend the drug’s high, so naloxone may still be effective.
“If you give someone naloxone but they’re still sedated, that’s a clue it could be xylazine,” Shover said. “Then call 911 for medical attention — but if you can’t do that, try to keep them comfortable and safe while they are sedated.”
For people who are using drugs but want to minimize the risk of ingesting xylazine, Shover said, there are now xylazine test strips available online.
Common causes of sleep deprivation include sleep apnea, insomnia, nighttime interruptions, fears of the dark, restless leg syndrome and sleep disorders. For some, sleep can bring dread if they struggle with other issues, like sleep paralysis. Another known cause of sleep loss is chronic pain, including lower back pain.
Why is lower back pain worse when sleeping?
While many people are able to sleep through some level of discomfort, some back pain is more acute and painful than others.
“Low back pain can often make it difficult to get a good night’s rest,” says Stephen Dering, PT, an orthopedic clinical specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Such sleep loss from pain occurs because the anatomy of one’s spine makes it more sensitive to sleep positioning when lower back pain is present.
“The way you position yourself at night affects the alignment of the lumbar spine, and thus can affect the pressure imparted on pain-sensitive structures throughout the night,” explains Dering.
Should I rest in bed if I have lower back pain?
While sleeping at night is essential and unavoidable whether back pain is present or not, a common myth is that bedrest is a good treatment for back pain during the daytime as well. While some rest can certainly be helpful, doctors do not generally recommend staying in bed both night and day to treat most instances of back pain because activity and mobility are usually essential for recovery. Not moving enough during the day can weaken core muscles and limit blood flow, and strengthening exercises and stretches are important for regaining spinal stability.
At the same time, the rest one achieves while sleeping at night is vital – and there are proven ways of improving the quality of that sleep even with the presence of lower back pain.
Safely administered pain medication or the application of ice can be helpful, but simple adjustments to one’s sleeping position are the best way to take the strain off one’s back when trying to get a good night’s rest. “It’s important to note that there is not a ‘best’ sleeping position for everyone,” explains Dering, “however, there are ways to modify sleeping positions in the presence of low back pain.”
These include the bending of one’s knees and the use of an extra pillow to aid in one’s comfort for each sleeping position:
Andrew Frost, PT, a practicing physical therapist with Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, says that in lieu of a pillow, some people prefer the firmness of a rolled-up towel, and others find that “temporarily sleeping in a recliner,” can be helpful in reducing their back pain at night.
“If you find your current sleeping situation painful, think through how your spine is positioned, then brainstorm different ways to change the sleeping environment to address one of these aspects of positioning,” he advises.
And never underestimate the importance of a quality mattress in dealing with back pain. “You want to choose a mattress that will help maintain a comfortable spinal alignment for you to be able to get consistent, quality sleep,” offers Dering. “I always suggest to my patients to try out different mattresses before purchasing to ensure that it is the best fit for them.”
Louisiana Republicans Kill Rape, Incest Exceptions to Abortion Ban After Unhinged Hearing
Lorena O’Neil – May 10, 2023
Photo: Melinda Deslatte (AP)
After a truly eyebrow-raising hearing on Wednesday, Louisiana’s House criminal justice committee voted against adding rape and incest exceptions to the state’s abortion ban, one of the strictest in the country.
Pastor John Raymond of Slidell, La., testified against the bill, saying that an abortion in the case of rape would make it so there are two victims instead of one–a talking point parroted by anti-abortion activists throughout the discussion. Women will “clamor to put old boyfriends behind bars in order to dispense with the inconvenience of giving birth,” he said.
Raymond, mind you, currently faces numerous criminal charges for cruelty to juveniles, including multiple allegations of physically abusing a 4-year-old, once allegedly holding him upside down by the ankle and whipping his butt. The pastor has also been accused of taping three 13-year-old boys’ mouths shut after they refused to stop talking in class.
The rest of the hearing was equally disheartening. Democrat Delisha Boyd, who introduced the bill to add rape and incest exceptions, revealed that she was the product of rape after her mother was sexually assaulted when she was 15. “My mother never recovered,” said Boyd, adding that her mother died just before she was 28 years old.
Republicans, of course, were unmoved by this argument. Anti-abortion activist Debbie Melvin said abortion “can be like a second rape.”
“A baby is the only beautiful thing that can come from rape,” she said.
Most rape survivors who testified supported Boyd’s bill. One survivor wept as she said that if she hadn’t been able to have an abortion she may have died by suicide. Morgan Lamandre, the president and CEO of Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response (STAR), said that she used to be vice president of the anti-abortion club at her high school, but changed her mind after working with sexual assault survivors. She pointed out that forcing a person to carry a rapist’s baby is only further traumatizing them.
“By forcing survivors to give birth, you are forcing them to forever be connected to their rapist,” Lamandre said. “In Louisiana, men are allowed to choose the mother of their children regardless of what the mother wants.”
The House Criminal Justice Committee then killed the bill in a 10-5 vote. All of the Republicans on the committee voted against adding the exception. One Republican representative, Tony Bacala, said he was voting against it because its author, Rep. Boyd, is the product of rape, and she turned out to be a good person.
What new Florida immigration law means for employers, hospitals and workforce
Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal – May 10, 2023
Standing at a podium with a sign reading “Biden’s Border Crisis,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new state immigration law Wednesday that critics say is cruel as it imposes tough penalties and new restrictions on people living in the state illegally.
The measure, approved last week by the Florida Legislature, has been condemned by critics as cruel and potentially leading to law enforcement profiling. It’s considered among the toughest steps taken by any state to deter immigrants without legal permission.
“We have to stop this nonsense, this is not good for our country,” DeSantis said, adding “this is no way to run a government.”
But immigrant advocates said Florida’s approach targets a community already struggling to survive with new criminal penalties and restrictions. Immigrants living in Florida, legally and illegally, represent a huge share of the state’s workforce, leaders added.
Susan Pai, a Florida immigration lawyer based in Jacksonville, broke the new law down, highlighting some of the bill’s biggest impacts.
Strengthening employment requirements
Several sections of the bill outline strengthened employment requirements, including:
Employers are required to verify a new employee’s employment eligibility within three business days after the first day the new employee begins working for pay.
Private employers with 25 or more employees must use the federal E-Verify system to verify a new employee’s employment eligibility starting on July 1.
Public agencies are also required to use the E-Verify system to verify a new employee’s employment eligibility.
Employers cannot continue to employ an unauthorized alien after obtaining knowledge that a person is or has entered the county illegally.
It is unlawful for any person to knowingly employ, hire, recruit or refer, either for herself or himself or on behalf of another, for private or public employment within the state, a “foreign national” who is not authorized to work in the U.S.
An unauthorized immigrant can not obtain a license to practice law in Florida after Oct. 31, 2028, repealing a 2014 law that allowed immigrants living in the country illegally to practice law in the state.
Violating the new law could result in a series of escalating penalties that could lead to the state suspending or revoking all licenses to operate their business.
The Farmworkers Association of Florida, a grassroots nonprofit that advocates for social and environmental justice with farmworkers, estimates that there are about 300,000 farm workers in Florida who live in the state illegally, making up about 60% of the state’s farm workers.
Losing those jobs could have a significant impact on Florida’s agriculture industry, and Pai says she imagines it’s a similar situation among roofers, landscapers and others.
“I’ve been getting a lot of calls from people asking me if they should leave the state,” she said. “The undocumented community is very scared to even show up for work.”
Pai also stressed that Section 12 makes it a crime to even refer someone for employment within the state, and underlined that the law applies to people who lawfully entered the country on visitor and student visas but are not authorized to work.
Hospitals must ask patients about their legal status
Section 5 states that any hospital that accepts Medicaid must include a provision on its patient admission or registration forms for the patient or the patient’s representative to indicate whether the patient is a United States citizen, lawfully present in the United States, or not lawfully present in the United States.
Hospitals would then need to turn the cumulative data over to the governor and the Florida Legislature quarterly and annually, and they would then have to quantify how much it costs to provide medical assistance to people not living in the country legally. The identity of patients would not be included in this data.
Pai says this law conflicts with health care professionals’ oaths to patients because it dissuades people in need of health care from seeking it out if they are in the country illegally.
“It’s going to prevent people from either bringing theirselves in for medical care or even their children,” Pai said. “They’re not going to know that they don’t have to answer the question. Once they’re asked the question, they believe they have to give up their undocumented status.”
People foregoing preventative health care to hide their status could end up costing Florida more money down the road when untreated medical issues become an emergency.
“Ultimately, their condition may worsen and the cost to Florida may actually be more than if they were just given the care in the first place.”
Out-of-state driver’s license issued to ‘unauthorized immigrants’ no longer valid
Driver’s licenses and permits issued by other states exclusively to people living in the country illegally will no longer be recognized in Florida.
The National Conference of State Legislatures says there are 19 states and the District of Columbia that issue these licenses to people living in the country illegally, and Pai says this bill could “open the flood gates” of racial profiling and increase the danger for drivers across the state.
“If you have an undocumented alien who can get a valid license, they can drive legally, they can buy insurance. They’re not going to flee the scene of an accident because they have a valid license. It just makes things more dangerous for everybody,” said Pai.
The law also bars counties and municipalities from providing funds to people, entities or organizations to issue identification documents to individuals who don’t provide proof of lawful presence in the county.
Transporting a person living in the country illegally across state lines is a third-degree felony
The law now makes it a third-degree felony for anyone who knowingly or who reasonably should know that they are transporting immigrants who entered the country illegally into Florida. Transporting a minor is a second-degree felony.
A previous iteration of the bill included transportation within the state, but was cut after critics pointed out that the bill could make transporting a family member who entered the country illegally to the hospital, their job or to school a felony.
Juvenile DNA database
Section 18 would force arrested adults and even juveniles with an immigration detainer (an “immigration hold”) to provide their DNA to the state.
SB 1718 expands FDLE’s mission to include immigration matters
The most sweeping sections of the bill outlines the expansion of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s mission to include immigration matters.
Section 13 states “FDLE, with respect to counter-terrorism efforts, responses to acts of terrorism within or affecting this state, coordinating with and providing assistance to the Federal Government in the enforcement of federal immigration laws, responses to immigration enforcement incidents within or affecting this state, and other matters related to the domestic security of Florida as it relates to terrorism and immigration.”
Sections 14 through 17 expand several Florida anti-terrorism laws to include immigration law enforcement, which Pai says is a “very smart way” to skate around having to create state-specific immigration crimes that are not also federal crimes.
Pai says this “huge” expansion of power is ultimately going to “dilute” anti-terrorism resources in the state.
“There’s no appropriation that goes along with this huge expansion of power to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies and organizations in the state of Florida who are charged with anti-terrorism and now immigration enforcement incidents within or effecting the state,” she said.
Appropriates $12M from Florida’s General Revenue Fund to migrant transportation program
Section 21 appropriates $12 million from the General Revenue Fund, which is funded by taxpayer dollars, to be used for DeSantis’ “unauthorized alien transport program.” The same program that made headlines when DeSantis flew about 50 Venezuelan migrants in two charter planes from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
The Division of Emergency Management selected three companies to execute Gov. Ron DeSantis’ controversial migrant relocation program.
A “notice of intent award” issued on Monday named ARS Global Emergency Management, GardaWorld Federal Services and Vertol Systems Company, Inc., which was the company that carried out last year’s migrant flights to Martha’s Vineyard.
The division had posted a request for proposals at the end of of March, after getting control of the program and $10 million to carry it out through special session legislation. During the regular session, which concluded last week, lawmakers approved $12 million more for the program.
But the taxpayer cost will be more than that, as the program has already generated multiple legal challenges. Florida has paid two law firms more than $640,000 in legal fees for DeSantis’ relocation of nearly 50 Venezuelan migrants from San Antonia, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard.
The companies selected, according to the request for proposals, must “provide ground and air transportation and other related services… to assist in the voluntary relocation of Inspected Unauthorized Aliens that have agreed to be relocated from Florida, or another state, to a location within the United States.”
The related services include research and planning, ensuring those relocated have provided voluntary consent, and arranging social support at the destination.
How many US mass shootings have there been in 2023?
May 9, 2023
Data shows gun ownership in the US has grown over the last several years
Gun violence is a fixture in American life – but the issue is a highly political one, pitting gun control advocates against people who are fiercely protective of their right to bear arms.
We’ve looked into some of the numbers behind firearms in the US.
Mass shootings on the rise
There have been more than 200 mass shootings across the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are injured or killed. Their figures include shootings that happen in homes and in public places.
There have been two in Texas in the last week – five killed at a home in Cleveland, north of Houston, and eight dead at a shopping mall in Allen, near Dallas.
In each of the last three years, there have been more than 600 mass shootings, almost two a day on average.
The deadliest such attack, in Las Vegas in 2017, killed more than 50 people and left 500 wounded. The vast majority of mass shootings, however, leave fewer than 10 people dead.
Data shows more than 50 people are killed each day by a firearm in the US.
That’s a significantly larger proportion of homicides than is the case in Canada, Australia, England and Wales, and many other countries.
Graphic showing an international comparison of gun-related killings as a percentage of all homicides in each country. The US leads with nearly 79% of all homicides occurring with guns.
How many guns are there in the US?
While calculating the number of guns in private hands around the world is difficult, the latest figures from the Small Arms Survey – a Swiss-based research project – estimated that there were 390 million guns in circulation in the US in 2018.
The US ratio of 120.5 firearms per 100 residents, up from 88 per 100 in 2011, far surpasses that of other countries around the world.
Chart showing civilian gun ownership around the world
More recent data out of the US suggests that gun ownership grew significantly over the last few years. A study, published by the Annals of Internal Medicine in February, found that 7.5 million US adults became new gun owners between January 2019 and April 2021.
This, in turn, exposed 11 million people to firearms in their homes, including 5 million children. About half of new gun owners in that time period were women, while 40% were either black or Hispanic.
Who supports gun control?
A majority of Americans are in favour of gun control.
57% of Americans surveyed said they wanted stricter gun laws – although this fell last year – according to polling by Gallup.
32% said the laws should remain the same, while 10% of people surveyed said they should be “made less strict”.
Gun control opinion
The issue is extremely divisive, falling largely along party lines.
“Democrats are nearly unanimous in their support for stricter gun laws,” another Gallup study noted, with nearly 91% in favour of stricter gun laws.
Only 24% Republicans, on the other hand, agreed with the same statement, along with 45% of Independent voters.
Some states have taken steps to ban or strictly regulate ownership of assault weapons. Laws vary by state but California, for example, has banned ownership of assault weapons with limited exceptions.
Map showing states with assault weapon bans – California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York & Washington DC, and those with restrictions Minnesota, Virginia and Washington, March 2023
Some controls are widely supported by people across the political divide – such as restrictions governing the sale of guns to people who are mentally ill or on “watch” lists.
Who opposes gun control?
Despite years of financial woes and internal strife, the National Rifle Association (NRA) remains the most powerful gun lobby in the United States, with a substantial budget to influence members of Congress on gun policy.
Over the last several election cycles, it, and other organisations, have consistently spent more on pro-gun rights messaging than their rivals in the gun control lobby.
A line chart showing the amount spent per year by gun rights groups and gun control groups on federal lobbying in the US from 2008 to 2022. Gun rights groups have consistently spent more than double what gun control groups have. Gun rights spending peaked in 2013 at just under $20m – gun control groups spent just under $3m in the same year. In 2022, gun rights groups spent $13m, while their opponents spent $2.3m.
A number of states have also gone as far as to largely eliminate restrictions on who can carry a gun. In June 2021, for example, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a “permitless carry bill” that allows the state’s residents to carry handguns without a licence or training.
Similarly, in April last year Georgia became the 25th in the nation to eliminate the need for a permit to conceal or openly carry a firearm. The law means any citizen of that state has the right to carry a firearm without a licence or a permit.
The law was backed by the NRA, and leaders within the organization called the move “a monumental moment for the Second Amendment”.
