Updates About Public Health

In acknowledgement of National Gun Violence Awareness Month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan State Police (MSP) have joined forces to distribute free firearm locks to Michigan residents. These cable-style gun locks, provided by Project ChildSafe, aim to prevent children’s access to unsecured firearms. With $500,000 in state funding from the Fical Year 2024 budget, 75,000 gun locks have been made available while supplies last. This initiative aligns with efforts to address the rising incidence of firearm-related injuries among children in Michigan and the United States. Public Act 17 of 2023 mandates that firearms are stored unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box if otherwise accessible to children. You can pick up your free gun locks from one of the below locations near you:

• MDHHS county offices
• Local health departments
• MSP Post
• Project ChildSafe Police Partners

Instructions on installing gun locks can be found on the item’s package and at Project ChildSafe.

The federal government may soon reclassify marijuana, potentially easing restrictions in the medical research sphere. If classified as a Schedule III substance, marijuana would join drugs like codeine and ketamine in requiring a doctor’s prescription. This shift could significantly impact opportunities for research, making it easier for scientists to conduct studies and access funding. This is especially relevant in states like Michigan, where medicinal and recreational use has already been legalized.

Currently, the federal classification lists marijuana as a Schedule I substance, which poses a significant barrier to conducting research on marijuana’s effects and health implications. With reclassification, access to research opportunities and the ability to explore marijuana’s potential medical benefits could expand. Despite a possible federal change, immediate impacts on state regulations may be limited.

MDHHS announced the allocation of $1.3 million from a national opioid settlement to support Michigan infants exposed to illicit substances. The funds will be distributed among five birthing hospitals across the state to establish rooming-in facilities, allowing mothers and their newborns to stay together after birth instead of immediate transfer to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian outlined the benefits of this approach, including decreased NICU stays, reduced medication interventions, and strengthened bonding between caregivers and infants. Rooming-in policies funded with opioid dollars have already served 282 families, showing positive outcomes such as lessened need for pharmacological intervention and shorter hospital stays for substance-exposed infants. The initiative aims to address disparities and improve care for vulnerable populations.