Cigarettes with ultralow nicotine levels are now being called the game-changer in the fight against smoking. If you are having trouble in quitting smoking, then, it is for you, that soon the Biden White House is expected to formally propose a plan that will order cigarette nicotine levels to be reduced, reports The Washington Post. For now though, it has been a failure, as these cigarettes, also known as VLN cigarettes that stands for very low nicotine are only available in 5,100 stores in 26 states. This is a very small fraction of the overall market for cigarettes. The company that makes it, 22nd Century, is struggling not because of the low supply, but also from the advocates who have long believed slashing nicotine levels altogether.

The Advent and ideation

Nicotine is a chemical that is produced naturally from tobacco that makes the cigarette and also keeps people hooked. While it is believed that it makes people alert, and get the "hit" to keep them going, it exposes the users to harmful substances, carcinogens, and increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and other illness.

Ultralow-nicotine cigarettes, like the VLN brand, contain about 95% less nicotine than the regular cigarettes. The idea is quite simple: without the addictive grip of nicotine, smokers will find it easier to quit. Research too has shown some promise. For instance, the studies funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse revealed that very low nicotine cigarettes reduced addiction potential significantly without having users to increase their smoking frequency. However, the problem is, why would anyone choose for a low-nicotine that does not make them feel the same way, when the high-nicotine cigarette is right next to it, making them feel the same way, with the same alertness, sold at the same price.

“It’s very hard to imagine someone actively choosing to continue to use a low-nicotine product for the same price when a high-nicotine product is right next to it,” said Eric Donny, a Wake Forest University School of Medicine nicotine researcher.

No wonder, the experiment with low nicotine product by Philip Morris' Next cigarettes in the 1980s and Vector Tobacco's Quest brand in the early 2000s, flopped.

FDA's Role in the Push

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has supported the development of such products, even allowing VLN cigarettes to be marketed as lower-risk options. However, these products remain a niche market, available in only a fraction of U.S. stores.

Recently, the Biden administration has considered a bold step—mandating a dramatic reduction in nicotine levels for all cigarettes sold in the United States. Supporters believe this move could save millions of lives, while critics, including tobacco companies, warn of potential unintended consequences.

What Could Be The Challenges?

Resistance from Big Tobacco Companies: They could argue that slashing nicotine levels could backfire. Their claim is, smokers will turn to black markets or smoke more to satisfy their cravings, which may lead to greater exposure to harmful substances.

Consumer Reluctance: History is proof to the instances of smokers being hesitant to embrace the low-nicotine products.

Political Hurdle: It may face political roadblocks, as under the Trump administration, plans to cut nicotine were shelved.

Could Low-Nicotine Cigarettes Be The Solution?

Advocates believe that ultralow-nicotine cigarettes could be a game-changer, comparing them to decaf coffee or non-alcoholic beer—products that reduce harm while offering a similar experience.

Some experts warn that a black market for traditional cigarettes could undermine these efforts. They also stress the need for safer alternatives, such as vaping products, to support smokers transitioning away from traditional cigarettes.

Amid rising obesity, early diabetes risk, and mental health issues among children, India has expanded its child health screening program to include behavioral disorders and non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare rolled out the screening measures under the revised Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) 2.0 guidelines.

The guidelines include steps to address mental health conditions and early risk factors for diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. These were released at the recently concluded National Summit on Good Practices and Innovations in Public Healthcare Service Delivery.

The screening services are free and will be delivered through mobile health teams at Anganwadi centers and schools, ensuring universal outreach and early identification.

What Does The RBSK 2.0 Guideline Include?

• The guidance document establishes, for the first time, a structured and standardized national framework for the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of childhood diabetes. It calls for universal screening of all children from birth to 18 years.

• Suspected cases will undergo immediate blood glucose testing and timely referral to district-level health facilities for confirmatory diagnosis and treatment.

• A free-of-cost care package will be available at public health facilities. This includes screening, diagnostic services, lifelong insulin therapy, monitoring devices such as glucometers and test strips, and regular follow-up care. This will reduce the financial burden and ensure uninterrupted treatment for children diagnosed with diabetes.

• The initiative promotes the “4Ts” awareness framework—Toilet, Thirsty, Tired, and Thinner—enabling parents, teachers, and caregivers to recognize early warning signs of Type 1 diabetes.

• The document also emphasizes the need to provide structured training on insulin administration, blood glucose monitoring, emergency response, and daily disease management. It outlines evidence-based treatment guidelines, regular monitoring schedules, and protocols for preventing complications.

• RBSK 2.0 introduces digital health cards, real-time data systems, and integrated platforms for tracking, monitoring, and service delivery. These digital innovations are expected to enhance program efficiency, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making across all levels of implementation.

Signs Of Diabetes In Children

Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus can develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) if it is not diagnosed on time, since they are insulin-dependent.

Dr. Archana Arya, Senior Consultant Pediatric & Adolescent Endocrinologist at the Institute of Child Health, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, told HealthandMe that DKA requires hospitalization for treatment, and if undiagnosed, it can lead to coma and death. Early diagnosis reduces morbidity and hospital admissions.

These children present with typical symptoms such as

• increased thirst,
• frequent urination,
• weight loss.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus may or may not present with typical symptoms, and children may develop long-term complications such as retinopathy and nephropathy if the condition goes undiagnosed for a prolonged period.

All overweight and obese children, especially those with a family history of Type 2 diabetes, those with acanthosis nigricans (thickened and dark skin behind the neck and underarms), and girls with PCOS are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and should be screened annually to prevent complications.

The expert added that children with diabetes are at a higher risk of depression (2–3 times higher prevalence), anxiety, and suicidal ideation (in 8–27 percent of youth) due to dietary restrictions and the burden of multiple insulin injections in Type 1 diabetes. Diabetic youth are 1.7 times more likely to attempt suicide, often through insulin overdose.

Why Is The Initiative Important?

Dr. Seema Dhir, Unit Head & Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Artemis Hospitals, told HealthandMe that good health in early life is essential for preventing non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Diabetes is often linked to poor lifestyle and health choices.

Early monitoring, detection, and effective management can reduce the growing burden of diabetes.

Dr. Munia Bhattacharya, Senior Consultant – Clinical Psychology, Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, emphasized that preventing non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity begins with maintaining both mental and physical well-being.

Providing mental support to children helps them cope better with stress and reduces the risk of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Children who are encouraged to express their feelings and seek help are less likely to experience anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies. Early awareness also builds coping skills, decision-making abilities, and healthier lifestyles—paving the way for long-term well-being and a more balanced, confident future.

Cancer treatment is often viewed as months of painful chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgeries that one might physically recover from but may continue to struggle with the trauma of for years. But now, thanks to a new injectable drug, cancer treatment may speed up for thousands of NHS patients in the UK. Pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, is that one-minute cancer drug injection that will likely speed up cancer treatment for thousands of patients—and soon, it will be available as a quicker jab instead of a half-hour drug.

What is pembrolizumab?

Pembrolizumab is an injectable drug prescribed to over 14,000 people in Britain every year. It works by stimulating the immune system to attack cancer cells on its own. Patients usually spend about two hours at a clinic when it is slowly administered for 30 minutes or more via a drip or IV line. However, this one-minute jab is now available in an injectable form and can be administered every three weeks or as a two-minute injection every six weeks.

Also Read: WHO Says Suspected Hantavirus Killed 3 on Cruise Ship: Symptoms, Risks, and Prevention

The drug has now been made more concentrated, with an extra component added to help the body absorb it faster. This shot is given in the stomach or the thigh instead of being infused through a vein in the arm. Doctors say that this rapid jab, which takes less than a minute to deliver, can help patients get back to their lives without having to spend hours in a hospital chair; for a cancer patient, regular hospital trips and multiple rounds of therapy can be physically exhausting and mentally draining.

How will pembrolizumab benefit cancer patients?

Pembrolizumab, according to doctors, will make cancer therapy and treatment more convenient for patients, and it can also bring down waiting times. It is one of the most successful cancer drugs and has been celebrated as a game-changer in treating several tumour types. The NHS uses the drug to treat 14 types of cancer, such as lung, breast, bowel, womb, stomach, head and neck, and melanoma.

The first-ever patient to receive pembrolizumab was Shirley Xerxes, 89, from St Albans, Hertfordshire, who was suffering from bowel cancer. She spoke several times about how it changed her will to live and how little time it took.

How does pembrolizumab work?

Pembrolizumab tells the immune system to recognise and kill cancer cells. It can fight head and neck, lung, breast, and cervical cancer. The drug is administered every three weeks as a one-minute injection, or it is given every six weeks as a two-minute injection, depending on the cancer type.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on May 3 that three people who died aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean were suspected to have been infected with hantavirus. The rodent-borne virus can cause severe and sometimes fatal respiratory illness.

"To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases," the organization said in a post on social media platform X.

Also Read: Cancer Treatment In One Minute? A Shot Of Pembrolizumab May Do The Trick

"Of the six affected individuals, three have died, and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa," it added.

In a statement provided to USA TODAY, Netherlands-based expedition cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said it was addressing a "serious medical situation" on board m/v Hondius. The ship was en route from Argentina to Cape Verde, an island nation off Africa's west coast.

What Is Hantavirus?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hantaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause severe illnesses and even death. The hantavirus is primarily spread by rodents through

• exposure to their urine,
• droppings,
• saliva,
• less commonly through a scratch or bite.

The CDC notes that hantaviruses are capable of causing diseases like hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or HPS and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome or HERS.

It can infect and cause serious diseases in people. It has mainly two syndromes. One is found in the Western Hemisphere, including in the US, which can cause HPS.

The most common hantavirus that causes HPS in the US is spread by the deer mouse. HERS is a group that is similar to illnesses caused by hantaviruses and is found mostly in Asia and Europe. There's another type, called the Seoul virus, which is a type of hantavirus that causes HERS and is found worldwide, including in the US.

The WHO did not specify the type of hantavirus or syndrome in the cruise incident, but did mention respiratory risks.

Hantavirus: What Are The Common Symptoms?

According to the CDC, symptoms can appear one to eight weeks after exposure, initially presenting fatigue, fever, and muscle aches. As the disease progresses, it can cause coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness as fluid accumulates in the lungs.

The CDC reports that about one-third of individuals who develop respiratory symptoms from the disease may not survive.

Despite extensive research, many questions remain unanswered, including why some cases are mild while others become severe and how antibodies develop. She and other researchers have been tracking patients over extended periods, hoping to uncover potential treatments.

Also read: India Concerned Over Measles Outbreak, Action Underway: Dr N K Arora| Exclusive

Hantavirus: How Can You Reduce Your Risk?

You can reduce your risk by eliminating and minimizing your contact with rodents in your home, workplace, or campsite. The best way is to seal holes and gaps in your home or garage and keep the rodents from entering your home. You can also place traps in and around your home to decrease rodent infestation. Clean up any easy-to-get food that could attract rodents.

Hantavirus: How Does The Diagnosis Work?

CDC notes that the diagnosis in a person who has been infected for less than 72 hours is difficult. If the initial test is done before the virus can be found, then a repeat test is required after 72 hours whenever the symptoms start to show up. Early symptoms, as mentioned above, like fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and fatigue, could also be easily confused with influenza, thus a test is extremely important.