Will you still be able to taste the rainbow in California, or are Skittles disappearing from the sunshine state? This question is fresh in the minds of Californians, given the passing of a recent bill, which aims to change some ingredients found in America’s popular candies and snacks. The four ingredients included in the ban include:

• Red Dye No. 3
• Brominated Vegetable Oil
• Potassium Bromate
• Propylparaben

Titanium dioxide was another ingredient originally included in the bill, and an ingredient in Skittles candy. That is why people believed that Skittles would disappear from California, but it was dropped from the ban. Skittles do contain titanium dioxide, but they don’t have any of the other four ingredients listed above. That means that the candy will be safe from any major changes, at least for now. 

What Is The Skittles Ban?

Assembly Bill (AB) 418, or the Skittles ban, was introduced to legislation by Jesse Gabriel, a Democratic assembly member from Woodland Hills, California. AB418 essentially aimed to ban the sale of processed foods, which contained dangerous or toxic chemicals, in California. It quickly became known as the Skittles ban, which Mars, the makers of Skittles, strongly opposed. 

In fact, Mars made a statement saying that chocolate and candy are safe to enjoy, and have been for centuries. Mars company opposes AB418 because it claims that no evidence supports banning the ingredients listed in the bill. According to Mars’ statement, those ingredients in the ban have all been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company continued to say that food safety is a number one priority, and it doesn’t include any ingredients that do not comply with FDA safety standards. 

Although Mars is not incorrect in saying that these ingredients are FDA-approved, that doesn’t mean that the ingredients are healthy for you. When eaten in high amounts, these ingredients can lead to health complications, especially if they aren’t balanced by exercise and a balanced diet. 

What About The Future Of The Ban?

According to Gabriel, he does not want to ban Skittles; rather, he wants to make American treats less “dangerous” to eat. He said that the idea behind this ban is for companies to make small modifications to recipes in order to exclude dangerous and toxic chemicals. In the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other nations around the world, bans on these chemicals are in place. That means that Skittles and other brands already made changes to recipes. The idea is to do the same thing in the United States. 

Red Dye No. 3, for example, can contribute to potential cancer risk, according to some studies. Additionally, artificial food dyes, such as Red Dye No. 3, may contribute neurobehavioral problems in children, including hyperactivity. It is a synthetic dye primarily derived from petroleum. This dye has been banned for decades in makeup and topical medications because it was linked to cancer. What makes it okay to consume in various foods, oral drugs, or dietary supplements? 

Although Skittles may be off the hook for now, there are up to 12,000 food products that still contain the banned chemicals in AB418. Peeps, the popular Easter candy, contains Red Dye No. 3, but the banning of an ingredient doesn’t mean the product goes away. Additionally, the bill doesn’t go into effect until 2027, which gives manufacturers time to change their recipes to continue sales in California. If they don’t want to change the recipe, they can decide not to sell their product in an entire state.

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In late August 2023, hospitalizations due to COVID-19 steadily climbed. The data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that hospital admissions increased by 19% during the week ending August 19, 2023. Compare that to early June of 2023 when the weekly average of positive COVID-19 tests was about four percent. That figure has since tripled to 13.4%, and the region of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico hit a positivity rate of 18%. 

Ever since states made masks completely optional, the percentage of people wearing masks outside their home in the U.S. decreased. The percentage went from about 57% in January 2022 to around 27% in January 2023, according to data from Covid States Project. Did vaccines have anything to do with that? It’s not for us to say, especially since vaccinated individuals may not be protected against new subvariants. 

Infectious disease specialists still argue that masks can provide good protection in several scenarios. Many people don’t want to wear masks for their own reasons, while others continue to wear masks to protect themselves or other high-risk individuals. Wear a mask or don’t wear a mask, and let everyone do what they feel is right for them. 

COVID-19 Mask Mandates Reappear

Overall COVID-19 indicators are down from this time last year, but some institutions don’t want to take chances. For example, Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia posted on Instagram that it was restarting the mask mandate because of positive COVID-19 cases among students. Becker Hospital Review found eight hospitals that reintroduced face covering rules. Kaiser Permanente’s Santa Rosa Hospital in California states that masks are required upon entrance and throughout the duration of your visit. 

Other institutions that recently reinstated mask policies include Upstate Medical University in Syracuse and Auburn Community Hospital in Auburn, New York. UMass Memorial now requires employees to wear masks when visiting emergency room and cancer patients.

Should You Consider Masking Again? 

Infectious disease experts also recommend that you wear masks, or at least take more precautions, in certain situations. Consider wearing a mask in a public space if the following conditions apply to you:

• Going on a big trip in the very near future
• Getting married or attending a wedding soon
• Taking care of someone who is immunocompromised

For people who have a higher risk of severe COVID-19 complications, consider wearing a mask in crowded public spaces. Planes, trains, or enclosed areas with lots of people are breeding grounds for COVID-19. Nobody wants to get COVID-19, so take matters into your own hands and increase protection. 

If You Choose To Mask, Wear It Right

If you wear a mask, don’t wear it as a chin diaper. Make sure that you secure the face covering over your nose and mouth to protect yourself from breathing in contaminated droplets. There are many high-quality masks available these days, so get one that fits well. KN95s and surgical masks offer great protection, while NIOSH-approved respirators offer the highest level of protection, according to the CDC. How much protection you need will depend on you and how much you want to stay safe. It’s hard to say what COVID-19 cases will look like in the coming months, but taking precautions may help limit the spread and keep communities safe.

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If you plant on traveling out of, through, or to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) anytime soon, you won’t see plastic water bottles for sale. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the airport authority that oversees LAX and Van Nuys Airport (VNY), banned single-use plastic water bottles. The reason for this is to encourage more sustainable travel. That said, bottled water served on aircrafts is exempt from the ban. 

The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners approved this ban in June 2021; therefore, a two-year phase-out period has been in place. This period allowed vendors to sell out bottled water inventory and modify their purchasing contracts to fit with the new regulations. Now, all businesses with leases or concession agreements at LAX and VNY must use containers made from recyclable glass or aluminum. That means that you will see canned water and glass water bottles available at these airports from now on. 

Why The Change To Plastic-Free Water Bottles?

As part of LA’s “Green New Deal,” LAX and VNY are contributing to making the city of Los Angeles carbon neutral by the year 2050. The Green New Deal aims to create zero-carbon transportation, buildings, and electricity, in addition to eliminating waste and sourcing water locally. LAWA also partnered with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to install hydration stations throughout LAX and VNY. More hydration stations provide passengers easier access to drinking water. It also incentivizes passengers to bring reusable water bottles to avoid buying canned water or glass bottled water.

Because LAX is one of the nations’ largest airports, it is a hub for three primary U.S. airlines. It also serves as a major international gateway, while VNY doesn’t have regularly scheduled commercial airline service. That said, VNY is a popular aviation airport in Southern California. Even Justin Erbacci, LAWA’s CEO, encouraged passengers to bring reusable water bottles to these airports. Eliminating single-use plastic water bottles helps to enhance sustainability efforts and promotes environmentalism across all airports. 

LAX Is Not The First To Ban SIngle-Use Plastic Water Bottles

Although this is a great step in a more sustainable direction for LAX, it is not the first airport to enforce this ban. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) was the first to introduce this ban in August 2019. Since then, SFO expanded the ban to include sodas, teas, and juices in single-use plastic bottles. At this time, LAWA has not pursued efforts to that extent, but it may head down the same road in the future. 

Karen Bass, the Mayor of Los Angeles, said that the ban of single-use plastic water bottles was essential to aid the city’s effort in combating climate change. Climate crisis is a serious issue that the city faces, and phasing out these single-use plastic water bottles aids sustainability. Bass encourages all Angelenos to aid these efforts to reduce the city’s environmental footprint. Not only does that help improve the livelihood of Angelenos, but it also encourages a better future for the environment.

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The consumption of processed foods and ultra-processed foods can lead to a long list of health issues. Studies have shown that these foods increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, and more. These foods are convenient, but far from healthy, yet a large percentage of the U.S. population eats them on a regular basis. 

In April 2023, the California Assembly’s Committee of Health officially approved a bill that would ban five harmful chemicals in processed foods. The California Assembly approved this bill in May 2023. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is one of the bill’s co-sponsors, and it relayed that California would be the first state to impose such a prohibition if the bill becomes law. 

5 Chemicals On the CA Ban List

Legislation A.B. 418 would ban the use of the following chemicals in candy, cereals, and other processed foods:

• Brominated vegetable oil
• Potassium bromate
• Propyl paraben
• Red dye no. 3
• Titanium dioxide

Brominated Vegetable Oil

One research study noted that brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a food additive used in certain fruit-flavored beverages as a density stabilizer for citrus oil emulsions. BVO is prepared by the reaction of liquid bromine with unsaturated vegetable oils. It presents a high density and you can typically find it in soda. Historically, BVO has been associated with a long list of health issues in animal studies. A study from 1983 fed adult rats diets containing BVO at different amounts for two weeks before mating. The rats consumed the same diets through gestation and lactation for the female rats. The offspring also consumed BVO. In 2% of the diet, BVO completely blocked reproduction. At 1%, the rats experienced impaired conception, smaller litter size, and lowered maternal weight. Postnatal mortality rate was also high, with survivors showing severe behavioral impairments. At 0.5%, the rats experienced severe behavioral impairments and post weaning activity. 

Potassium Bromate

Many health experts are shocked that potassium bromate is used in food products. The International Agency of Research on Cancer described potassium bromate as highly toxic. It produces oxidative DNA damage in rat kidneys, and there is evidence that Available data suggests evidence of genetic toxicity and that it may cause renal tumors via oxidative DNA damage. Potassium bromate is a food additive that has been associated with disturbed blood biochemistry in animal research. It’s typically used in bread-making, and it can be toxic to bakers. In fact, one study on bakers in Cameroon noted that they experienced painful eyes, cough, diarrhea, and sore throat as a result of potassium bromate toxicity. 

Propyl Paraben

Propyl parabens exist in a surprising amount of foods and have been associated with negative effects in animal research. In a 2002 study, researchers administered propyl paraben in different doses to three-week-old rats. After four weeks, researchers found that daily sperm production significantly decreased, and testosterone concentrations dropped. Other research on mice noted that propyl paraben negatively affected female reproduction. 

Red Dye No. 3

The EWG notes that Red Dye No. 3 can cause tumors in rats and is a known carcinogen to animals. Red Dye No. 3 may potentially cause thyroid issues in rodents and lead to adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in children. Food dyes like Red Dye No. 3 have also been linked to estrogenic and DNA-damaging effects, ADHD, toxicity, and more in human and animal studies. 

Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide is potentially carcinogenic to humans and may damage DNA, according to the EWG. It may also cause fibrosis of the heart at high doses, as confirmed in animal studies. It may potentially damage the liver and kidneys in high doses, as shown in animals. While more human research is needed to determine the risks of titanium dioxide, preliminary evidence indicates several side effects from excessive exposure. These side effects include:

• Skin irritation
• Cancer
• Respiratory issues
• Inflammation
• Reproductive and developmental effects

Banning all of these chemicals is a great first step to help the U.S. catch up to Europe, where these substances are already banned from use in food, with a few minor exceptions. How is the U.S. behind the rest of the world in this regard? These are seriously dangerous additives that can negatively affect overall health.

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Americans are out and about this summer, with many taking their very first vacations since the beginning of the pandemic. For most places around the country, Los Angeles County included, there are few signs of COVID-19 precautions. Some people continue to wear face coverings indoors, but this isn’t always the case. In fact, LA County continues to experience daily COVID-19 positivity numbers of about 3,700-6,500, depending on the day. 

From June 13, 2022 to June 19, 2022, unvaccinated people were 5.3 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than people who received a booster dose. The new increase in cases and hospitalizations have been fueled by the omicron BA.5 sub-variant, which is very contagious. The BA.5 sub-variant is the fastest-spreading form of omicron so far. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is responsible for more than 50% of all new COVID-19 cases in the country. Additionally, researchers say that this sub-variant is three to four times more resistant to antibiotics. 

When Could Indoor Masking Happen?

The decision to reinstate the indoor mask mandate will depend on future daily case rates and hospitalization rates. If the number of case and hospitalization rates remains high enough for two weeks, LA County may require indoor masking by July 29, 2022. Fortunately, LA County is not in that high COVID-19 community ever yet. This category indicates that an area is experiencing high COVID-19 spreading, with the transmission straining hospitals. 

The CDC updates community assessments every Thursday. If LA County enters a high COVID-19 community level on July 14th, for example, it has to remain in that tier until July 28th, 2022, for authorities to issue an indoor masking order. This information comes from Barbara Ferrer, LA County’s Public Health Director. She did say, however, that there is no guarantee that the masking order will take effect. 

How Close Is Los Angeles To The Indoor Mask Policy?

There has to be 10 new weekly coronavirus-positive hospitalizations for every 100,000 residents for health officials to reinstate the indoor masking order. As of July 7, 2022, that number was 9.7, a 17% increase from the previous week’s rate of 8.3. From the county’s perspective, though, the actual figure is about 8.4, because that combined federal data from LA and Orange counties. LA County and Orange County numbers have been relatively similar, but Orange County’s new weekly coronavirus-positive hospitalizations for every 100,000 residents was 13.3 as of July 6th, 2022. 

Why Is LA Considering A Mask Mandate Again?

LA County health officials say that the order would align with guidance from the CDC. According to the CDC, indoor masking should be enforced in counties that have high COVID-19 community level. Roughly 60% of California’s counties remain in that category, including the Central Valley and San Francisco Bay areas. About 16 million Californians currently live in a county with a high COVID-19 community level. That number accounts for about 41% of the state’s population. 

In Southern California, Ventura County remains the only county with a high community level. Despite the high community levels in other counties in California, LA County seems to be the only county that has responded to the CDC framework. It will reinstate an indoor mask mandate if the numbers continue to climb. 

Even though health officials recommend wearing a mask indoors as a preventative measure, some officials don’t think it is necessary at this time. The reason for this logic is because epidemiological changes in the virus have taken place. Plus, treatments and vaccines are readily available. Ultimately, health officials want to do their best to avoid the effects of another pandemic wave in LA County. Wear a mask indoors if you can to help reduce the spread of the new contagious BA.5 sub-variant and the mask mandate may not go into effect.

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A recent analysis shows that firearm homicide rates increased almost 35% from 2019 to 2020. Firearm suicide rates and disparities by race/ethnicity and poverty level also remain high. In 2020, firearms were involved in 79% of all homicides and 53% of suicides. This piled on top of the tragic backdrop that was the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which recorded the loss of hundreds of thousands of people. 

Counties with greater poverty lines saw the largest increases in firearm homicides. To give you the numbers, 2020 recorded approximately 45,222 gun-related deaths in the United States. That roughly averages to 124 people dying from a gun-related injury each day, which is the highest number of gun-related deaths ever recorded in the U.S. In 2022 alone, the U.S. recorded 233 mass shootings, with the most recent tragedy occurring at the school in Uvalde, Texas. 

What Does The Data Say?

According to the data, states with stricter gun laws generally experience lower firearm mortality rates. Some of these states include New York, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California. A January 2019 study stated that states with higher rates of gun ownership tend to have more mass shootings. Some statistics are difficult to measure, but the current data suggests that gun regulations reduce overall gun mortality rates. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting System examined mass shooting data from 1998-2015. The definition of a mass shooting is when four or more people are killed by a firearm. Experts used the data to calculate annual rates of mass shootings by each state. Researchers separated mass shooting events and rates into categories where victims were immediate family members or partners and where victims had other relationships with the perpetrator. After full analysis, a 10-unit increase in state gone law permissiveness saw a 11.5% higher rate of mass shootings. States with more permissive gun laws and greater gun ownership, then, had higher rates of mass shootings. 

Where Is Gun Violence Highest In The U.S.?

In 2018, the U.S. ranked 20th for having the highest firearms death rate in the world. As stated earlier, gun-related deaths hit an all-time high in 2020, with more than 45,000 Americans dying because of firearms. That made firearm injury the 13th leading cause of death in the U.S. The Centers of Disease Control and Development (CDC) states that Mississippi, Wyoming, Alabama, Missouri, and Louisiana have the highest firearm mortality rates. South Carolina, Alaska, Tennessee, Arkansas, Montana, and New Mexico also have high firearm mortality rates. 

States with the lowest gun-related deaths include Rhode Island, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York. International comparison studies looked at mental illness rates, levels of education, demographics, and money spent on education and mental health. You want to know what made the U.S. stand out with its very high homicide rates? The sheer number of firearms that are available to U.S. citizens. 

How Do Gun Laws Contribute To Firearm Deaths?

According to research studies, states with lenient gun laws tend to have higher numbers of unintentional gun injuries that result in hospitalization. Gun-related suicide attempts are also more common in states with relaxed gun laws. This isn’t to say that states with stricter gun laws are free of gun violence, though. It can still happen, especially if there are nearby states with weaker gun laws. In regards to high rates of gun violence and weak gun laws, thirteen states are “national failures,” according to researchers. Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Kentucky, Alaska, Mississippi, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, New Hampshire, and Arkansas have the weakest gun laws and highest rates of gun violence. 

Studies confirm that states with stricter gun laws tend to make it harder to purchase a gun. Universal background checks, ID requirements, and checks for ammunition purchases lead to lower rates of firearm injury and mortality. There are more mass shootings in states where stricter measures are not enforced, and in open carry states. 

Overall, it is still difficult to measure the impact that certain policies have on gun violence. One jurisdiction or county may enforce laxer laws than a neighboring jurisdiction. Because of this, there is some bleed over from trafficking firearms from places without strict regulations. In order for change to happen, it seems that local policymakers have to understand local contributing factors. Recognize that regulations have their benefits, and may even reduce the rate of gun-related deaths in this country.

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On September 30th, 2020, California became the first state in the country to enact the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (AB 2762). Gavin Newsom signed the bill, which enforces a strict ban on 24 common, toxic ingredients in personal care and beauty products. The primary chemicals in this ban include mercury and formaldehyde, which are in beauty products that people use every day. 

Statistically, the average American woman uses 12 beauty products every day. From lipsticks and foundations to hair care products and lotions, those 12 products amount to over 200 chemicals. Personal care products and cosmetics in the United States are mostly self-regulated. The industry went under FDA purview in the 1930s and only nine chemicals have been banned since. To this day, 12,000 chemicals are in circulation, and many of them increase the risk of birth defects, certain cancers, and damage to reproductive health. The most problematic chemicals that you should always avoid include:

• Formaldehyde
• Lead
• Triclosan
• Some parabens and phytates
• Asbestos

The California Ban

As of January 2025, a person or manufacturer cannot offer, deliver, or sell any cosmetic products that contains the ingredients banned by the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act. This is a progressive move for California, making it the first state in the country to follow in the footsteps of over 40 other nations. Those 40 nations have stricter cosmetic safety laws than the United States does, and they’ve banned an estimated 1,400 chemicals that are commonly in beauty products in the United States. 

The Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, which was largely supported by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), has banned the following chemicals:

• Dibutyl phthalate
• Diethylhexyl phthalate
• Formaldehyde
• Paraformaldehyde
• Methylene glycol
• Quaternium-15
• Mercury
• Isobutylparaben
• Isopropylparaben
• m-Phenylenediamine and its salts
• o-Phenylenediamine and its salts
• Several Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their salts

There Is One Exception To The Bill

There is one thing to clarify in regards to the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act. According to the bill, “If a cosmetic product made through manufacturing processes intended to comply with this chapter contains a technically unavoidable trace quantity of an ingredient listed in the subdivision and that trace quantity stems from impurities of natural or synthetic ingredients, the manufacturing process, storage, or migration from packaging, that trace quantity shall not cause the cosmetic product to be in violation of this section.”

The Point Of This Bill

The reason that people lobbied to pass this bill is to inform California consumers of the ingredients that are in beauty and personal care products. To often do manufacturers exclude ingredients, and the reason they can get away with this is due to loose FDA requirements. Most commercial beauty products contain fragrances, artificial colors, stabilizers, and preservatives, all of which can penetrate the skin. These chemicals can disrupt thyroid function, menstruation, and lead to diabetes, antibacterial resistance, infertility, and certain types of cancer. The FDA doesn’t require cosmetics or the ingredients in them to gain approval before they are available for purchase. This increases the risk of health problems for anyone who uses lotions, makeup, hair care products, and other beauty products. 

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The sandwich may be one of the best culinary creations on the planet. It’s the perfect vessel for so many different flavors and ingredients. In the case of this sandwich, a delectable spread complements beautifully charred vegetables. If you have a grill basket, this recipe becomes so much easier. If you don’t have a grill basket, you can use a cast iron grill pan. Now, if you don’t have a grill basket or grill pan, it looks like this recipe transforms into a roasted vegetable sandwich.

Vegetables cook very quickly on the grill so it’s important not to leave and forget about them. You’re probably looking at six or seven total minutes of cooking time. That’s why medium heat is best. Once they finish cooking, allow them to cool for a few minutes and then you can start assembling your sandwiches. We prefer the sandwiches closed, but you can enjoy them open-faced as well. Additionally, if you want to add spinach, fresh tomatoes, or other toppings, please do so. The more flavors, the better! Also, it wouldn’t be a California sandwich without some avocado, but that ingredient is optional if you don’t like it.

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