In today's newscast:
The California Department of Public Health is launching a campaign to educate young people about the dangers of nicotine products, including vapes.
State data shows that nearly 10% of 12th graders use tobacco products including vapes and nicotine pouches.
The public health department warns nicotine harms the developing brain, and is highly addictive.
The $5.2 million campaign comes from a state settlement with vape company Juul Labs.
Farmworkers face heat risk
Unseasonably warm temperatures are posing risks for California’s farmworkers as the heat arrives earlier than usual this year.
The dangers of high temperatures can extend beyond heat illness.
Edward Flores, the faculty director of the UC Merced Community and Labor Center, spoke with KAZU partner CapRadio. He said farm work poses the highest rates of heat-related deaths in the country.
"But also there are long-term consequences of being exposed to elevated temperatures," he said. "And so we see this in higher incidences of diseases such as kidney disease among farm workers."
California was the first state to pass heat protections for field workers more than two decades ago. The law requires employers to provide shade and water when temperatures reach 80 degrees.
At 95 degrees, additional protections kick in, including a buddy system and extra breaks every two hours.
Flores said enforcement remains a challenge because fines of a few thousand dollars may not be enough to change a company’s practices.
