A bill that would ban the use of tanning beds by youth under age 17 passed the House on a 117-21 vote Thursday and is now headed to the governor’s desk.

Continue reading "House Gives Tanning Ban Final Passage" »

Tags: indoor tanning, ban, Jacqueline Wattles, ultraviolet light, dh

Lawmakers and activists congregated at the capitol Thursday morning to press for action on a bill that would allow state government to monitor “chemicals of concern” in consumer products.

Continue reading "Calhoun Joins Activists & Lawmakers In Call For Chemical Monitoring" »

Tags: chemical, jim calhoun, Diana Urban, Phil Miller, toys, toxicity, Jacqueline Wattles, dh

They weren’t at the state Capitol on Wednesday to lobby a bill. They were here to let lawmakers and the public know they exist and shouldn’t be discriminated against because they have a mental illness or a substance use disorder.

Continue reading "Hold Up Your Hand" »

Tags: Victoria Veltri, mental health, Vicki Veltri, Greg Williams, Dan Olguin, recovery, dh

Connecticut business owners, legislators, farmers, and residents rallied outside the capitol Tuesday morning to press state legislators to move on a bill that would require labels on genetically modified foods.

—More photos.

Continue reading "Senate Approves Bill Requiring GMO Labeling 35-1" »

Tags: GMO, Donald Williams, John McKinney, Tara Cook-Littman, Brendan Sharkey, Roundup, Jacqueline Wattles, dh

Newtown mothers joined lawmakers and advocates Monday to support legislation that would streamline mental health services for children.

Continue reading "Advocates, Newtown Moms Champion Mental Health Reforms For Children" »

Tags: mental health, Newtown, Dante Bartolomeo, Diana Urban, streamline, Jacqueline Wattles

State Child Advocate Jamey Bell announced Monday in a letter to Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s Chief of State Mark Ojakian that she will be leaving to become the executive director of Greater Hartford Legal Aid.

Continue reading "Child Advocate Resigns" »

The Senate unanimously approved a bill Thursday that would create an outright ban on tanning bed use by people under the age of 17.

Continue reading "Indoor Tanning Ban For Minors Sails Through Senate" »

Tags: indoor tanning, skin cancer, Jacqueline Wattles, dh

The Connecticut Mission of Mercy will host its sixth annual free dental service clinic in Bridgeport on June 7 and 8 to serve the state’s uninsured and underserved population.

Continue reading "Mission of Mercy To Host Free Dental Clinic In Bridgeport" »

Tags: Mission of Mercy, dental clinic, bridgeport, williams, sharkey, dental care, Jacqueline Wattles, dh

A coalition of health and anti smoking advocates called on the legislature Wednesday to increase state taxes on cigarettes by 95 cents a pack, citing a new poll that found broad support for the proposal among Connecticut voters.

Continue reading "Poll: Voters Support Raising Cigarette Tax" »

Tags: cigarettes, taxes, cancer, budget, smoking, sharkey, williams, poll, Hugh McQuaid, dh

A well-known national pollster says the medical profession will soon face a struggle similar to that of today’s newspaper industry, which has been badly disrupted by the arrival of the Internet.

Continue reading "Rasmussen Says Healthcare Is Facing A Newspaper-esque Market Disruption" »

Tags: connecticut health council, rasmussen reports, scott rasmussen, rosa parks, 401k, civil rights movement, ted benna, newspaper, disruption, Internet, dh