Prevention Matters

The Obama administration wants to ban many routine uses of antibiotics in farm animals in hopes of reducing the spread of dangerous bacteria in humans. Specifically, it wants to ban feeding antibiotics to healthy chickens, pigs and cattle to encourage rapid growth, as well as the use of antibiotics by farmers in animals without the supervision of a veterinarian.

Both practices lead to the development of bacteria that are immune to many treatments. The legislation is supported by the American Medical Association, among other groups, but opposed by farm organizations like the National Pork Producers Council.

While some people may argue about the health effects of second-hand smoke, a lot of them say they would be willing to stop smoking to preserve the health of the family pet.

An online survey conducted by the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit found that almost one in three smokers said the health of a pet would motivate them to try to kick the habit. Mewanwhile, 16 percent of non-smoking pet owners said their pet's health would motivate them to ask a smoking family member to quit, and 24 percent said they would at least ask the smoker to take smoke outside the building they are in.

Sounds like the makings of a new public health ad campaign.