Health

Spring is in full swing, triggering allergies for many. Our reporter Olivia O’Rand has more on why a person’s reaction to this time of year may change over time. And one law professor says the DEA's move to reclassify marijuana could benefit medical marijuana businesses under Texas' Compassionate Use Program.

The Texas Medical Board is receiving public comment until June 1, Texas Public Radio’s Kayla Padilla has more on their new rule on “medical emergencies” relating to the exceptions to abortion bans. And Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller says commercial milk supply is safe after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration discovered bird flu particles in some commercial grocery milk samples.

Texas Public Radio's Paul Flahive has more on the private company which says it has solved the children without placement problem there in just one month of running much of the foster care system in North Texas. And a year after Medicaid unwinding began in Texas, KERA’s Elena Rivera reports more than two million people have lost coverage.

Conversations around the proposed ordinance to decriminalize marijuana possession in Lubbock have voters asking questions about what's true, but one Lubbock addiction researcher says the politics are diverting attention from current substance use issues in the city, especially among Lubbock youth.

The City of Lubbock Public Health Department met with health experts, local leaders and community members to collaborate and exchange ideas regarding current and future health needs in Lubbock. The department is also taking input from an online survey which can be found at bit.ly/lubbocksurvey. Meanwhile, KERA's Elena Rivera has more on a new report showing Texas has more severe racial and ethnic health disparities than other states in the Southwest.

KERA’s Toluwani Osibamowo has more from agriculture experts who say a recent bird flu outbreak among Texas livestock probably will not impact egg and dairy prices or production. Texas Public Radio's Marian Navarro has the details now that Opill, the over-the-counter birth control pill, is available at H-E-B stores and other retailers across Texas.

Collaborating officials with the city of Lubbock and Lubbock County broke ground on a new mental health diversion center yesterday. For now, many Lubbockites could be taken to the hospital or jail when dealing with serious addiction or mental health concerns, but the Hope Center will bring more options for mental health care in West Texas.

One of the primary challenges facing people living with HIV — and those advocating for them — is stigma. Education, awareness, and visibility are priorities when it comes to HIV, for advocates and the City of Lubbock.

KERA’s Elena Rivera reports on almost 3.5 million Texans signing up for an Affordable Care Act plan during open enrollment. And the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday about Senate Bill 14, a law which prohibits gender-affirming care for transgender youths.

With the new year well under way, our reporter Samantha Larned has more from a doctor with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center with advice on maintaining fitness-oriented resolutions. Texas Public Radio's Marian Navarro reports that Texas was awarded $100 million in federal grants to continue building electric vehicle charging networks.