Brother gave over 150 slaps to keep bitten victim awake after snakebite

Kuwait has introduced an extensive set of new regulations governing the sale and distribution of tobacco and nicotine products to individuals under the age of 21. These rules were approved by Ministerial Decision No. 237 of 2026, issued by the Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadi.

According to local Kuwaiti media, the new norms include a ban on selling tobacco and nicotine products in grocery stores to anyone who has not reached the age of 21. These measures are being taken as part of efforts to strengthen public health and reduce the harm associated with the use of these products—both in terms of health and in economic and social aspects.

The new provisions will come into effect on January 1, 2027. The ban covers all types of tobacco and nicotine goods, as well as nicotine delivery systems, including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and devices, nicotine liquids and cartridges, nicotine pouches, as well as oral and smokeless tobacco products, and any newly developed goods.

The sale, display, and distribution of these products will be prohibited in kindergartens, nurseries, schools, institutes, universities, colleges, and other public and private educational institutions. Furthermore, the ban extends to medical facilities, both public and private, ministries and institutions, sports clubs, wellness centers, youth centers, theaters, cinemas, and facilities for children and youth.

Sales will also be banned in grocery stores, mobile carts, temporary kiosks, at exhibitions, entertainment events, and in vending machines. Local Kuwaiti media indicates that the rules also prohibit sales through websites, applications, social media platforms, and delivery services, as well as at points of sale located within a 200-meter radius of educational institutions.

In cooperative societies and parallel markets, products may only be sold in specially designated areas under supervision, and they cannot be displayed in a way that allows customers direct access without staff assistance. The decision also prohibits the import, manufacture, distribution, sale, or storage of goods of unknown origin or those that do not meet approved specifications.

It is forbidden to promote products designed, packaged, or advertised to attract the attention of children and youth, as well as those that exceed approved limits for nicotine content, ingredients, or emissions. All goods must undergo registration and approval by the Ministry of Health; manufacturers and suppliers are required to provide information, including composition, nicotine concentration, country of origin, and batch data.

According to local sources, health warnings, including text and images, must occupy at least 50% of the main packaging area. Additionally, the decision prohibits advertising, promotion, sponsorship, free samples, gifts, and discounts on the specified products. E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products will be subject to the same restrictions as smoking in public and enclosed places where it is prohibited.

The Ministry of Health, in conjunction with relevant authorities, will oversee, monitor, and ensure compliance with the rules, including documenting violations.

A nine-year-old girl from Brazil, residing in the metropolis of Belo Horizonte, experienced an episode of uncontrollable laughter that lasted for more than three hours. Concerned about her daughter's condition, the mother took her to the hospital, where a very unexpected situation was discovered.

According to information published by the Brazilian publication Metrópoles, it all started during playtime at home. Eduarda Barbosa, whom relatives call Duda, was at home with her mother Aline Barbosa, who is a photographer and nursing student, as well as her sisters. At some point, Duda began laughing uncontrollably. Aline and her sisters also laughed, but the girl could not stop, even when everyone around her fell silent.

Duda remained conscious and responded with gestures, but she could not control her laughter or speak. Noticing the dilation of her daughter's pupils and changes in her gaze, Aline decided to take her to the Municipal Hospital Contagem.

Not playing?

The medical team providing assistance initially considered this case to be isolated. Duda was not diagnosed with epilepsy, as previously suspected. Instead, she was diagnosed with 'gelastic seizure'—a rare 'epileptic manifestation characterized by involuntary episodes of laughter.'

Before realizing it might be a medical problem, Aline thought her daughter was just 'joking.' She recalled: 'I asked if she had gotten dirty or if she had drawn a clown on my face, and she kept laughing.' However, she now knows it was much more serious.

After a series of examinations, the pediatrician treating Duda explained that this episode was 'isolated' and 'caused by anxiety or stress, because as a child, she could not express her feelings or explain what was happening.'

In an interview with the Brazilian website, neurologist and clinical neurophysiologist Victor Hugo Castro de Sá explained that 'gelastic seizure is a rare type of epileptic seizure. This condition manifests as involuntary episodes of laughter. The person laughs without feeling joy, as the laughter is triggered by an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain associated with a benign lesion called hypothalamic hamartoma.'

He emphasized: 'Among possible causes is hypothalamic hamartoma, a benign, non-cancerous lesion located in the hypothalamus. This is a classic link to gelastic seizures in childhood,' he noted.

According to the doctor, in such cases, 'the laughter is purely mechanical and neurogenic (caused by an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain), without the patient actually experiencing joy.'

One of the main signs of a 'gelastic seizure' is the absence of a situation that could justify the laughter. The attack can start suddenly, without a joke, a comedic stimulus, or an apparent reason. The doctor also pointed out that the laughter may look different than usual—it might seem forced, artificial, or even robotic, without the emotional expression usually associated with fun.

Typically, the 'seizure' is brief, lasting from a few seconds to less than a minute. Another important feature is the inability to stop the episode independently. In addition to laughter, according to the specialist, other signs may be observed, such as slight changes in consciousness, a fixed gaze, facial redness, rapid heartbeat, and automatic movements, such as lip tapping. Other brain changes may also be related to this condition: benign or malignant tumors, cortical dysplasias, and vascular malformations localized in the temporal or frontal lobes.