What may be innocuous foods for you may be highly toxic for your pet to consume. Before you slip them a snack, know what foods can be harmful—or even life-threatening—to your pet. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), here are…
Category: Uncategorized
Diabetics Gain More Protection From Bad Actors Thanks to AB 602
People affected by diabetes received some good news this week when Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed Assembly Bill (AB) 602 into law. The law, which takes effect immediately, helps protect the health and safety of patients with diabetes by prohibiting pharmacies from selling or distributing counterfeit or improperly stored test strips and glucose meters.…
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, California Department of Consumer Affairs, Uncategorized
A New Office to Support Students
Visualize an organization within DCA whose core purpose is to help students of private postsecondary schools during some of the most trying times of their educational journey. As of July 6, that visualization came into sharp focus as the newly formed Office of Student Assistance and Relief (OSAR) rolled out its multitude of services. Established…
Bureau of Cannabis Control, California Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation, California Department of Consumer Affairs, Uncategorized
Governor’s Budget Bill Brings Changes to California’s Cannabis Regulatory Framework
Trailer bill melds previous legislation with Proposition 64; creates Bureau of Cannabis Control Earlier this spring, the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Bureau of Cannabis Control, Department of Public Health and Department of Food and Agriculture released proposed regulations for the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act. These licensing authorities held public hearings and accepted written…
Mammograms: Women Join the Conversation
Mammogram screenings starting at age 40 reduce the chances of death due to breast cancer, but screenings can also lead to harmful effects such as anxiety, false-positive results, unnecessary biopsies, and overtreatment. As a result, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has recently updated its mammogram screening guidelines. With its new recommendations, which apply…
A Sweetheart of a Scam: Online Dating Fraud
Online dating can be complicated. It entails sifting through loads of profiles, getting a dialogue going, deciding if you want to meet, going on a date, and eventually figuring out if you’re actually compatible. Now to make the process even trickier, you also need to take precautions against online dating fraud. Online criminals use dating…
A Smarter Summer
You’re probably aware that the first day of summer kicked off on June 21, the summer solstice. The term solstice is Latin for sun stand still. Apparently, the sun is higher in the sky throughout the day, and its rays beam on the Earth at a more direct angle, making it the day with the…
California Department of Consumer Affairs, Consumers, Contractors State License Board, Uncategorized
Keeping it Cool: Worth Your Time and Energy
Turning down the temperature on your air conditioner isn’t the only solution for keeping your house cool. Here are some easy ways, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the U.S. Department of Energy, to stay comfortable during the warm months, while also reducing your home energy bill. Draw your shades. Simply closing…
Board of Behavioral Sciences, Board of Psychology, California Department of Consumer Affairs, Uncategorized
Suicide Does Not Discriminate
The report of Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington’s suicide yesterday and Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell’s suicide in May are two in a long list of high-profile celebrities who have taken their own lives. It also starts discussions about the causes of, and mystery surrounding, suicide itself. …
Crushing Bad Medicine: 2017 Nationwide Health Care Fraud Takedown
A nationwide sweep that began with tips from consumers resulted in what federal officials are calling “the largest-ever health care fraud enforcement action” by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. The 2017 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which occurred this month, was a nationwide sweep involving more than 1,000 law enforcement agents in at least 30 states.…