You Can Now Fly with Marijuana!!!

Travelers are now allowed to fly with marijuana when flying out of Los Angeles International Airport. Yes, that right! Los Angeles International Airport are now allowing their passengers to fly with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana with no risk of arrest or confiscation unless that amount is exceeded.

Airport police would not confiscate it unless it exceeds California’s legal amount and will not stop or arrest you if they find marijuana in your carry-on bags.

The new marijuana policy reads…

” While federal law prohibits the possession of marijuana (inclusive of federal airspace,) California’s passage of proposition 64, effective January 1, 2018, allows for individuals 21 years of age or older to….”

https://www.medicaljane.com/2013/10/07/tsa-policy-flying-with-medicinal-marijuana/

 

Is technology the future of healthcare?

The goal of health technology is to assist in more efficient data collection, increase connectivity, and foresee market changes. A push for a more healthy lifestyle across the United States has lead to an increasing need for innovative ideas that can lead to healthy behavior changes. Even with governmental efforts, life expectancy in the United States has decreased, inequities in healthcare persist in rural communities and healthcare costs are still at an all time high. Developing partnerships between healthcare communities and business technology firms has the possibility to strengthen the development of evidence-based research and HIPAA-compliant clinical resources that can contribute to an improved population health in the United States. Using these firms can also establish  more reputable platforms, health analytics, and marketing expertise that could serve beneficial to the current healthcare issues.

Implementing technology into exercise devices has lead to success stories surrounding smart technology abound. Exercise using smart technology  has been shown to increase physical activity compared to traditional healthcare models. Access to healthcare is also an issue due to the US healthcare industry structure. This can be improved through the use of online applications geared towards connecting clinicians with patients. Through businesses engagement, assistance in the development of technology services that  increases access to low-cost care for patients in need is possible.

Innovative inventions in data collection would assist with patients having access to their own health information. This gives them the opportunity to make informed decisions about their own health. It also reduces redundant testing resulting in patients and clinicians saving time and money. Collaborating with businesses and technology firms on healthcare issues and projects could improve population health overall.

 

References

1. Stey A, Kanzaria H, Brook R. How disruptive innovation by business and technology firms could improve population health [published online August 16, 2018]. JAMA.doi:10.1001/jama.2018.10782
2. https://www.medicalbag.com/tech-talk/technology-disruption-improving-us-population-health/article/794210/

The Availability of Food

These maps from 2010 show the availability of grocery store locations and also the percentage of people who had a car to get there. The topic of food availability is already an interesting conversation.. is there enough food? Is there enough food, but it just isn’t distributed evenly? Why is healthy food more expense then unhealthy? Why has food become more of a business then of a way to survive? Take a look at these maps, because they bring another problem into the mix! Transportation and accessibility.

The information for the maps was collected from the USDA Food Environment Atlas and the maps were created by Meharry Medical College.

www.toxicsites.us

This interesting webpage displays toxic locations or superfund sites throughout the US based on the year it was discovered, the type of waste, the site’s hazardous ranking score, population size near the site, and race around the location. Brooke Singer and team wanted to show the areas of these superfund sites and provide a map that the community could interact with. Check the site out at www.toxicsites.us

Below is a full view of the US in 2015 and under is zoomed in on New Jersey in the New Brunswick area. Thanks www.toxicsites.us for the interesting map!

Nepal Relief Map- immappler.com/nepalrelief

Our team at Vertices created a community map that will help the people of Nepal and those there assisting with relief. This map found on immappler.com/nepalrelief, provides a quick and easy way for earthquake victims to add information about the aid they need. By making a visual public map, earthquake relief teams and individuals can see where and what type of aid is needed in a specific area.

We used information from quakemap.org and created a map using our program Mappler. We determined different aid categories that will help the people of Nepal and added need to know variables such as if victims of the disaster need water, food, shelter, or medical aid. We continually add new information to the site, and those in Nepal can add their own data to the map as well. People in the area can either log in and create an account or just sign in as a guest, and are then able to quickly fill out the information they want to be made public. This map makes it easy to see what areas need help and with what exactly they need help with. This horrific disaster has damaged large areas, and injured and killed many people. The Vertices team hopes this map makes it easier to help those in need! Please share the link on social media to spread the word- immappler.com/nepalrelief