pediatrician psa: marijuana, childhood obesity, and firearm counseling

Wow, am I the worst blogger in the world, or what? I'm gonna be a bit lazy with the *cough*supposedtobe*cough* weekly PSA as I ease back in to posting regularly.

The American Psychological Association emphasizes that marijuana is not harmless, especially for adolescents and young adults whose brains are still developing. Over 1 in 20 high schoolers report smoking pot daily (!!!), so this is a major problem.

This is a helpful article outlining practical steps to take if you're worried about your child's weight.  Some key points:
- The focus should be on living a healthier life, not on achieving a specific weight.
- Make it a family affair, not singling out the child in question.
- Never mock your child's weight (or allow siblings to do so), even if you think it's just gentle teasing.
- Make it fun-- if you have to force your child to do it, it probably won't work.

There's been a recent ruling in Florida which threatens physician's ability to ask and counsel patients about firearm safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics soundly condemns this decision. Pediatricians are expected to ask and counsel about all kinds of safety issues-- car seats, walkers, pets, medications, window blinds, lead paint. It only makes sense to ask, "Is there a gun in the house? If so, make sure to store it locked and unloaded with the ammunition in a separate location for safety."

I'll try to stop being so lazy about posting!