Health Highlights: June 25, 2019

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Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

San Francisco Poised to Ban E-Cigarette Sales to Youth

San Francisco’s board of supervisors is expected to vote Tuesday to make the city the first in the United States to prohibit the sale of electronic cigarettes to people younger than 21.

The law would forbid the sale of e-cigarettes that have not undergone a premarket review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, something no e-cigarette maker has done, CNN reported.

The ban also applies to flavored tobacco products and covers sales in brick-and-mortar stores and online sales shipped to a San Francisco address.

“E-cigarettes are a product that, by law, are not allowed on the market without FDA review. For some reason, the FDA has so far refused to follow the law,” city attorney Dennis Herrera said in statement last week after the measure passed an initial vote, CNN reported.

“Now, youth vaping is an epidemic,” he said. “If the federal government is not going to act to protect our kids, San Francisco will.”

If the measure passes the final vote, it will be sent to the mayor for signing. It would take effect 30 days after that, CNN reported.

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California Bill Would Bring Back ‘Individual Mandate’ Penalty for Those Who Don’t Buy Health Insurance

A bill to tax people who won’t buy health insurance was passed Monday by the California legislature and now goes to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is expected to sign it into law.

The measure means that California would again have a key part of the federal health care law that was eliminated by Republicans in Congress, the Associated Press reported.

The bill would reintroduce the tax in California effective Jan. 1., but wouldn’t apply to everyone, including people living in the United States illegally.

If the bill becomes law, California would join Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont and Washington, D.C., next year in penalizing people who refuse to purchase health insurance, the AP reported.

Also on Monday, California lawmakers passed a measure to provide government-funded health insurance to low-income young adults living in the United States illegally.

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Infant Formula Powder Recalled Due to Possible Metal Contamination

Parent’s Choice Advantage Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron that’s made by Perrigo and sold exclusively at Walmart has been recalled due to the possible presence of metal foreign matter.

The recall covers more than 23,000 35-ounce, 992-gram containers with the Lot Code C26EVFV and “use by” date of February 26, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

The recalled product should not be used. It can be returned to any Walmart store for a refund.

No injuries associated with the recalled product have been reported, according to the FDA.

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