Halloween spending expected to reach record high

Americans are planning to splurge on their favorite candy and costumes this Halloween season, according to the National Retail Federation.

The NRF’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics says total spending for Halloween is expected to reach $8.4 billion, an all-time high in the survey’s history.

U.S. consumers are expected to spend an average of $82.93, up from last year’s $74.34, with more than 171 million Americans planning to partake in Halloween festivities this year.

“After a long summer, families are excited to welcome the fall season celebrating Halloween,” said Matthew Shay, NRF president and CEO. “Retailers are preparing for the day by offering a wide variety of options in costumes, decorations and candy, while being aggressive with their promotions to capture the most out of this shopping event.”

According to the survey, consumers plan to spend $3.1 billion on costumes (purchased by 67 percent of Halloween shoppers), $2.5 billion on candy (94.3 percent), $2.4 billion on decorations (70 percent) and $390 million on greeting cards (35.4 percent).

When it comes to preparation, 71 percent of consumers plan to hand out candy, decorate their home or yard (49 percent), dress in costume (47 percent), carve a pumpkin (46 percent), throw or attend a party (34 percent), take their children trick-or-treating (30 percent), visit a haunted house (21 percent) or dress their pet(s) in costume (16 percent).

Searching for the perfect costume inspiration will lead consumers to sources such as online (35 percent) and in-store (29 percent). Social media is the fastest-growing influencer for the perfect costume, particularly Pinterest (17 percent), which has seen 133 percent growth since 2012. Some other places for inspiration include friends/family (19 percent), Facebook (17 percent), pop culture (16 percent) and print media (14 percent).

“Consumers are eager to celebrate Halloween, especially given that eight in 10 Americans will shop by mid-October. That is the highest we have seen in the survey history,” Prosper Insights Principal Analyst Pam Goodfellow said. “Americans will enjoy taking advantage of early-bird promotions both online and in-store as they kick off the fall season.”

When it comes to where consumers will shop for the season, 47 percent of shoppers will visit discount stores to buy their Halloween-related items this year and 36 percent will visit a specialty Halloween/costume store, up from 33 percent last year. In addition, 26 percent of customers will visit grocery stores/supermarkets, 23 percent will visit department stores and 22 percent will shop online.

The survey asked 6,791 consumers about Halloween shopping plans. It was conducted September 6-13 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.2 percentage points.

Wounded Warrior Project to continue filling gaps in FY2017

Having recently surpassed its monumental goal of serving more than 2,500 post-9/11 combat warriors – including their families and caregivers – through its mental health programs and services in its 2016 fiscal year, Wounded Warrior Project^®(WWP) is kicking off its 2017 fiscal year with a continued focus on filling the gaps in mental health support.

During 2016 Mental Health Awareness Week, Oct. 2-8, WWP is raising awareness about mental health, reducing the stigmas associated with invisible wounds of war, and appealing to wounded warriors suffering in silence to seek the help they earned.

"Mental health awareness is especially important for veterans because we are not used to asking for help, which can cause an increase in family issues, violence, substance abuse, homelessness, and suicide," said Rebecca Benton, a U.S. Navy wounded warrior from Orlando, Florida, who recently attended a four-day mental health rehabilitative workshop in Long Creek, South Carolina.

This week, across the nation, injured warriors will be working with WWP to share their stories with America through the WWP News Room and respective local media outlets. Many of these experiences are being shared with the public for the first time in an effort to form a united battle cry that informs veterans dealing with invisible wounds of war about available programs and services – the same that have worked for those telling the stories personally.

"Seeking treatment is not as easy as it may seem," said Ryan Kules, WWP combat stress recovery director. "Many suffer in silence with mental health conditions, but by increasing both the awareness of the stigmas associated with these injuries and the reach of our mental health services, warriors will see firsthand that invisible injuries are not a life sentence, and they can be managed."

WWP created its Combat Stress Recovery Program (CSRP) to address the growing mental health needs of warriors who return from war with invisible wounds. Through the generous support of donors, CSRP offers veterans a range of specialized programs and services – each tailored to the veteran's specific needs – all free of charge. WWP and its supporters believe warriors already paid their dues on the battlefield, so warriors don't pay for any service they receive. WWP plans to continue to bolster its mental health focus in the next fiscal year, innovating its current programs and services based on direct feedback from the wounded warriors they serve.

Exposure to traumatic combat and operational experiences affects service members and veterans spiritually, psychologically, biologically, and socially. Although challenging, WWP's multi-day mental health rehabilitative opportunities provide safe, private environments for warriors to express themselves and share their combat action – with laughter and tears. At the end of the transformative program, warriors share lessons learned from the activities that impacted their personal struggles the most and set achievable goals for their recoveries.

"WWP program gatherings provide opportunities to build supportive communities with other veterans to help with the readjustment and transitioning issues many of us face," Rebecca said. "They are also good places to reduce the feelings of isolation, have open discussions, and build a support team of battle buddies."

To date, an estimated 400,000 service members live with invisible wounds of war, including combat stress, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to a report released by Institute of Medicine in 2014, 47 percent of veterans diagnosed with PTSD in 2013 after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan did not receive treatment.

Rebecca's experience is a testament to the success of WWP mental health programs and services.

"WWP's mental health workshop was not a vacation or getaway by any means. I was challenged and left emotionally and physically drained, but a stronger person than I was four days prior. I was able to work on built-up emotions from my active duty service and my transition to civilian life," Rebecca said. "I faced my fears and emotions and talked about them with other veterans – some I had just met. I learned to build trust with strangers. I learned more about myself and how to be more resilient – despite some of my past struggles. These opportunities are about self-care, working on mental health, not being afraid to ask for help, and learning we are not alone in this journey – others have similar stories. Because I attended this mental health program, I have more resources and battle buddies to carry me through. I am forever grateful to Wounded Warrior Project and its staff."

FDA issues warning about teething products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers that homeopathic teething tablets and gels may pose a risk to infants and children. The FDA recommends that consumers stop using these products and dispose of any in their possession.

Homeopathic teething tablets and gels are distributed by CVS, Hyland's, and possibly others, and are sold in retail stores and online.

Consumers should seek medical care immediately if their child experiences seizures, difficulty breathing, lethargy, excessive sleepiness, muscle weakness, skin flushing, constipation, difficulty urinating, or agitation after using homeopathic teething tablets or gels.  

"Teething can be managed without prescription or over-the-counter remedies," said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "We recommend parents and caregivers not give homeopathic teething tablets and gels to children and seek advice from their health care professional for safe alternatives."

The FDA is analyzing adverse events reported to the agency regarding homeopathic teething tablets and gels, including seizures in infants and children who were given these products, since a 2010 safety alert about homeopathic teething tablets. The FDA is currently investigating this issue, including testing product samples. The agency will continue to communicate with the public as more information is available.

Homeopathic teething tablets and gels have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for safety or efficacy. The agency is also not aware of any proven health benefit of the products, which are labeled to relieve teething symptoms in children. 

The FDA encourages health care professionals and consumers to report adverse events or quality problems experienced with the use of homeopathic teething tablets or gels to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program:

• Complete and submit the report online at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm; or
• Download and complete the form, then submit it via fax at 1-800-FDA-0178.

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency is also responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

Red Cross to install record number of smoke alarms this month

The American Red Cross and its partners plan to install a record number of smoke alarms – 45,000 – during the month of October in homes across the country as part of a 5-year ongoing national Home Fire Campaign.

The multi-year campaign kicked off across the country in October of 2014 with a goal to reduce the number of home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent. Working with local fire departments and community groups across the United States, the Red Cross is installing smoke alarms in homes in neighborhoods at the highest risk for home fires. In the last two years, more than half a million smoke alarms have been installed a part of the Home Fire Campaign. The installation of 45,000 smoke alarms in October is the largest goal since the onset of the campaign, representing the highest number of smoke alarm installations in a single month.

"Our Red Cross volunteers and terrific partners will be out in communities all across the country during October, installing smoke alarms in high risk areas and teaching families how to prevent a fire in their home," said Harvey Johnson, senior vice president, Disaster Cycle Services for the Red Cross. "Since the inception of the Home Fire Campaign, our principal goal has been to reduce deaths due to home fires. I am pleased to say that this extremely important campaign is already responsible for saving more than 110 lives, and we are looking forward to further expanding this effort, and helping even more people keep their loved ones safe."

"There are three simple steps people can take to be prepared for a home fire," Johnson continued. "First, every family should practice a home fire drill with members of their household to make sure everyone can get out in two minutes. Two, install smoke alarms throughout the home if you have not already done so, and three, smoke alarms should be tested every month to make sure they are working."

The Home Fire Campaign is made possible through the generosity of hundreds of local partner organizations and volunteers, along with corporate partners Fred Meyer, Kidde, Motorola Solutions Foundation and Nationwide Insurance. As of August 31, the Red Cross and 3,600 partners have reached more than 591,000 people through home visits in 7,300 cities and towns all across the country. The Red Cross has also reached more than 581,000 youth through fire safety and preparedness programs.

The public can join the Red Cross effort to save lives, reduce injuries and cut down on needless losses from home fires by making a financial donation by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800 RED CROSS or texting FIRE to 90999. A gift to Home Fires enables the Red Cross to provide critical services to people impacted by home fires along with the lifesaving tools and information to support prevention efforts.

Learn more about home fire safety at redcross.org, or contact your local Red cross to find out the location of smoke alarm installation events or to volunteer your time. 

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.