Americans traveling to China are being warned about the possibility of detention, electronic surveillance and restrictions that could keep them from returning home, with a travel expert sharing critical information for people to know before they go. 

The U.S. State Department issued an updated Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution" advisory for mainland China this week, citing concerns about wrongful detention and restrictions on leaving the country.

Travelers are told to be aware that routine professional, academic and personal activities, which carry no risk in Western countries, could be treated as criminal offenses under China's broad security laws.

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The advisory also raises concerns about private communications, warning Americans that emails, texts and social media activity could be monitored by Chinese authorities.

"Assume that China's security services can read your emails, texts and social media posts if you send them to or from China," the Oct. 19 advisory states.

The State Department said some people have been detained or deported over private messages considered critical of Chinese authorities, even when those messages were sent outside China.

The risks extend beyond electronic communications.

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The State Department elaborated on possible detention without justification.

"The U.S. Department of State has determined that Americans are at serious risk of wrongful detention by the Government of China," the advisory states.

Those detained could spend years behind bars with limited contact with family members or U.S. officials, according to the department.

Travelers could also face restrictions that prevent them from leaving the country, even if they have not been detained.

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Chinese authorities have used the "exit bans" during investigations and business or civil disputes. Exit bans have also affected relatives of people under investigation, including children, according to the advisory.

Some travelers may not know they're prohibited from leaving until they try to fly home.

"U.S. citizens might only become aware of an exit ban when they attempt to depart China," the State Department said.

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Some bans have lasted for years. Officials warn there may be no clear way to challenge them in court.

Americans who plan to visit China are advised to travel with a U.S. passport and valid Chinese visa, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and arrange regular check-ins with family members or an employer.

Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. State Department for further comment.

"Be aware of your surroundings. Think before you take a picture," advised Bobby Laurie, a longtime travel expert and former flight attendant.

"This is one of those situations where maybe you were spotted taking pictures of law enforcement on the street, or you were somewhere you shouldn't have been. Maybe you were inadvertently near a protest on the streets," he added. 

"Then as your trip comes to an end, you head to the airport. You scan your boarding pass, ready to get through immigration to fly home. And then you realize you're actually not allowed to fly home. There has been an exit ban placed on you."

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He said anyone traveling to China should go with "a cell phone or electronic device that is really stripped down just to what you need for your trip."

Leave confidential information at home, he also urged. 

A growing number of American parents are using cannabis, prompting questions about potential child exposure and safety, according to a new study.

Cannabis use increased substantially among parents between 2012 and 2024, with researchers estimating that at least 5.9 million U.S. children were living with a parent who used marijuana on most days in 2024.

By 2024, 8% of parents used cannabis on most days, 5.2% used it daily and 6.7% met the criteria for cannabis use disorder (CUD).

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Daily cannabis use among parents was about four times as common as daily alcohol use, the study found.

While increases occurred across nearly all demographic groups, some of the largest were seen among younger and unmarried parents, those in lower-income households and those without a four-year college degree.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), involving nearly 482,000 U.S. individuals ages 12 and older.

The findings were published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

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"Marijuana has become so socially acceptable that people are starting to overlook the risks," Dr. Jarid Pachter, who specializes in family medicine and addiction medicine at Stony Brook Medicine in New York, told Fox News Digital.

"Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's harmless," added Pachter, who was not involved in the study.

The physician also expressed concern about the example parents are setting for their children.

"If marijuana use is a regular part of life at home, children may start to see it as something that's normal and relatively harmless," he said, pointing to studies that show children whose parents use marijuana are more likely to use it themselves as they get older.

"That doesn't necessarily mean the parent's marijuana use is causing the child to use, but there's clearly an association."

The doctor also cautioned that THC, the main psychoactive chemical in the marijuana plant, is known to affect attention, memory, coordination and reaction time.

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"When you have young children, you need to be alert and able to respond to their needs," he said. "I'm not suggesting that someone who uses marijuana can't be a good parent. My concern is about being impaired when you're responsible for a child's safety."

"I also think we need to be careful about normalizing daily marijuana use," he went on. "We wouldn't automatically consider daily alcohol use harmless, and we shouldn't look at marijuana that way, either."

Pachter emphasized that accidental ingestion is another concern, especially with edibles like marijuana gummies or chocolate, which can look like regular candy to a young child.

"We've seen significant increases in emergency room visits involving children who accidentally consume marijuana," he told Fox News Digital.

CANNABIS COMPOUNDS COULD REVERSE DISEASE AFFECTING ONE-THIRD OF ADULTS

"Some develop severe sedation, confusion and difficulty walking. In more serious cases, children can have breathing problems and require hospitalization."

The more frequently someone uses marijuana, the greater risk of developing cannabis use disorder, the doctor cautioned.

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"We also know THC can affect memory, attention and coordination. Frequent use, particularly of high-potency products, is associated with an increased risk of certain psychiatric problems in susceptible individuals."

Smoking marijuana around children can also pose a risk of secondhand exposure.

"Marijuana smoke contains many of the same harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke," the physician said. "We know children can be exposed to THC through secondhand smoke, although we're still learning about the long-term health effects."

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For those who use marijuana every day, Pachter suggests they ask themselves whether they can go without it, and whether it is affecting work, relationships or responsibilities.

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"And if you're a parent, you need to consider whether your marijuana use is affecting your ability to care for your children."

The study had some limitations. The researchers did not assess parenting quality or children’s health, and the findings do not establish that parental cannabis use causes adverse child outcomes.

Additionally, the data relied on self-reported substance use, which could be subject to recall or reporting bias.

The researchers called for further studies examining whether the frequency of parental cannabis use, cannabis use disorder, household exposure and storage practices are associated with children's health or developmental outcomes.

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The researchers reported funding support from the California Department of Cannabis Control, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Americans traveling in and through the Middle East have a new wrinkle to sort out.

The U.S. State Department has pushed back against circulating reports that it directed nonessential government personnel and their dependents to leave the entire Gulf region, clarifying that the departure order applies only to Saudi Arabia.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott dismissed the broader regional claims, calling them "inaccurate" after the department released a formal statement confirming the targeted drawdown within the kingdom. 

"The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia," the department said. 

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The clarification arrived amid an uptick in militant strikes aimed at key regional transit hubs. 

In the statement shared with Fox News Digital, the spokesperson noted that "Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions."

Officials warned the security environment remains highly volatile, adding the conflict "has the potential to escalate rapidly, including beyond that immediate area."

The department emphasized that the safety and security of its staff and its households remain its highest priority. 

US STATE DEPARTMENT WARNS AMERICANS OF GROWING SECURITY RISKS IN HISTORIC REGION

The United States "will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them as they return to the U.S.," the spokesperson said.

In late September, the State Department renewed its warning to Americans traveling in and through the Middle East amid escalating regional tensions.

The warning came as Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted.

Residents reported hearing an explosion and later seeing a plume of smoke near King Khalid International Airport, according to The Associated Press.

No casualties or damage from the attack were reported at the time.

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In an X post in September, the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs warned that the security environment in the Middle East "remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation."

The agency added, "Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions."

Officials specifically cited hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis in their warning.

"Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports," the post said.

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"This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly. Americans outside the Middle East should seriously reconsider travel to and through the region."

The agency also advised those traveling to or from the region to monitor airport and airline operations, warning that U.S. diplomatic facilities have been targeted, including outside the Middle East.

In June, U.S. officials similarly urged Americans across the Middle East to remain vigilant as tensions mounted across the region.

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At the time, officials warned that airspace closures, demonstrations and threats to locations associated with the United States could disrupt travel with little notice.

The State Department also maintained its "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" advisory for Oman in an Aug. 30 update, warning of risks from armed conflict and terrorism, including the threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran.

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Andrea Margolis of Fox News Digital and The Associated Press contributed reporting.

Supplements are a daily wellness habit for many Americans — but experts warn more isn’t always better.

Some common nutritional supplements include zinc for immune function, ashwagandha for stress relief, fish oil for improving heart health and magnesium for better sleep, among others that have gained popularity on social media.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Jim LaValle, a clinical pharmacist and metabolic medicine expert based in Texas, said that supplements should be balanced with other medications and medical conditions.

AMERICANS ARE GIVING UP MULTIVITAMINS FOR A DIFFERENT DAILY HEALTH HABIT, STUDY FINDS

"I've never met a supplement I didn't like under the right circumstances," he said. "There's some evidence around what it's doing in the body."

While supplementing certain nutrients can be beneficial, the health expert warned that overdoing it can be "problematic."

"A lot of people take one of everything and then stack peptides on top of it — and then they're going and doing 18 different things," he said.

It's important to first assess what the body needs from an individualized approach, according to LaValle.

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For example, low magnesium has been associated with the development of metabolic syndrome. In that case, he said, taking a magnesium supplement could help to balance out levels.

"We assume that if you eat healthy, you're going to get those nutrients. But are the foods we're selecting actually rich in those nutrients?" he questioned.

LaValle recommends using supplements to address specific needs, starting with a blood test to pinpoint any deficiencies, rather than blindly treating symptoms.

Low iron and ferritin are common among people complaining of fatigue, LaValle said, yet some may instead turn to supplements like ashwagandha or rhodiola in an effort to boost their energy.

TAKING DAILY SUPPLEMENT MAY HELP PRESERVE MUSCLE AS YOU AGE — EVEN WITHOUT EXERCISE

"They’re buying some kind of stimulant adaptogen to try to get their energy up," he said. "That’s pretty basic — you’re low in iron, and you never got a blood test."

LaValle noted that the number of biomarkers measured is less important than how well the results are interpreted.

After appropriate blood testing, the results can be used to identify "functional highs and lows" and help establish specific health goals, he said.

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"If you're somebody who has a goal to get out there and get after it and do a Hyrox or an LT Games or a Tough Mudder, there could be supplements that would help improve your performance [or] reduce your risk of injury," LaValle said.

"It doesn't mean you [have to] take them all the time."

The expert reiterated that it’s easy to "overdo it," particularly with the influence of online health and wellness advice.

"When people are getting barraged with marketing between social media and friends telling them, 'I did this and it worked,' they'll lean in and go, 'Hey, if two is good, four is better, and why not do 10?'"

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In one example, having low levels of certain nutrients, such as zinc, can disrupt key functions in the body, as zinc plays an important role in immune health, cell growth and metabolism.

But supplementing with too much zinc can cause digestive distress and even copper deficiency, which can lead to anemia and other neurological problems, according to the NIH.

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"So having low zinc is not good, but you can overdo zinc," LaValle said. "You can overdo vitamin A. You can overdo vitamin D easily, and that could be potentially toxic if you're taking too much of it."

People should talk with a doctor or pharmacist before starting or combining supplements, particularly if they take prescription medications or have underlying health conditions. Blood testing may also be appropriate before supplementing certain nutrients, experts advise.

McDonald's is looking to expand its chicken offerings, including potentially bringing back grilled chicken sandwiches — a menu item the fast-food giant discontinued in 2020.

At a September investor meeting, McDonald's executives discussed plans to expand the chain's chicken lineup, including grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps, as demand for protein options grows, according to Restaurant Dive.

The renewed interest comes years after McDonald's pulled its grilled chicken sandwich from U.S. menus, raising questions about why the healthier offering disappeared in the first place.

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Chef Mike Haracz, who served as McDonald's manager of culinary innovation from 2015 to 2019, told Fox News Digital why the grilled chicken sandwich ultimately failed to make the cut — and whether it could find its way back to the menu.

The reason was simple: Not enough customers were ordering it, Haracz said.

"For many of the menu items at McDonald's, and this is true for any corporate chain restaurant, there is a certain sales threshold that means it will be profitable, and it makes sense to have in the restaurant," said Haracz, who is based in Illinois.

"Once sales dip below a certain level, it does not make financial sense to keep it on the menu, as you will end up throwing away product."

In 1993, McDonald's introduced a grilled chicken sandwich as a healthier menu offering, but it did not stand the test of time.

MCDONALD'S BRINGS BACK POPULAR ITEM FOR SHORT TIME AS ONE STATE GETS A TREAT

The sandwich consisted of a marinated skinless chicken breast filet, lettuce, tomato, sweet red onion, Monterey Jack cheese and a herb sauce, all piled on a bun, according to a 1993 press release about the menu item.

McDonald's unveiled a more natural preparation of its grilled chicken in 2015, announcing on its website that it would be cooked using only canola oil, olive oil, and real spices and herbs.

The chain revamped the sandwich that year, introducing the Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

Ultimately, though, the grilled chicken sandwich lost its spot at McDonald's in 2020, when the chain also removed salads from its U.S. menus, according to Business Insider.

In his role at McDonald's, Haracz formulated new menu items for U.S. locations.

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People looking for healthier options at McDonald's appreciated the grilled chicken offering — especially parents, Haracz noted, because while their kids might have been excited about eating a Happy Meal, the parents were not as interested.

Like many other menu items, the grilled chicken sandwich was cooked on a flattop and held in the universal holding cabinets (UHCs).

Ultimately, it came down to simple dollars and cents.

Space is valuable at McDonald's, Haracz noted, with each location organized to make every square inch profitable.

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If an item is taking up space but not making money, it's probably not going to last too long, he said.

Consumer satisfaction played a big role, Haracz said, adding that he thinks the grilled chicken sandwich's flavor profile didn't always wow guests.

"McDonald's also realized once it gets to a point, there may be menu cannibalization, [which] means instead of ordering Chicken McNuggets, I might order the chicken sandwich," Haracz said. "Well, if we take the chicken sandwich away, are they still going to order Chicken McNuggets or other items? Most likely they are."

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Could the grilled chicken sandwich make a comeback? 

Haracz said he thinks it's possible.

"I do think there's a chance it could come back because many chains are dealing with the fact that beef prices are rising, and a way to offset that is to offer a more affordable protein option, which would be chicken," he said.

Haracz said he's not sure if there will be a renaissance of grilled chicken specifically. 

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"Certainly chicken items, in general, will be more popular, not only because of the beef prices, but also, that is a bigger profit margin if McDonald's develops it appropriately."

Fox News Digital reached out to McDonald's for comment.

Taco 'bout biting off more than you can chew.

A Texas woman's lunch took an unexpectedly toothsome turn when she allegedly discovered a cow tooth in her taco, prompting a lawsuit against popular restaurant chain Torchy's Tacos over a bizarre ingredient the company has since confirmed was the real deal.

Nohemi Castillo claims she nearly swallowed the tooth while eating takeout from the chain's South Congress Avenue location in Austin on June 9, according to a lawsuit independently obtained by Fox News Digital and filed Oct. 13 in Travis County District Court.

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The order included the chain's "Democrat" tacos, according to the complaint, although a cow tooth was certainly not among the advertised ingredients.

Torchy's Tacos confirmed the unusual discovery in a statement to Austin TV station KVUE, saying its own investigation determined that the object was a cow tooth.

"Upon receiving the guest complaint, we conducted a thorough review and identified the item as a cow tooth," the company said. "This can occasionally happen when processing the meat, though it is quite rare."

The restaurant explained that its barbacoa comes from natural beef cheek sourced from a supplier, adding that it has taken steps to prevent similar incidents.

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"We have partnered with our supplier to reinforce their internal procedures to prevent this from happening in the future," Torchy's said.

Castillo's attorney, Scott Vasquez, told Fox News Digital that the company did not acknowledge to him that the object was a cow tooth until the story attracted local media attention in October, roughly four months after the incident.

Vasquez provided Fox News Digital with additional photographs showing the tooth beside a tape measure, offering a closer look at the sizable object Castillo claims she nearly swallowed.

Another photograph included in the court filing shows the object resting on aluminum foil beside what appears to be taco meat.

A witness statement provided by Castillo's attorney describes the moment an ordinary lunch with a colleague took an unpleasant turn.

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"As we were eating, I heard an ‘awww!’ When I turned to Nohemi, I saw her pulling something out of her mouth, she said, 'I think it's a bone,'" the witness wrote.

The colleague described Castillo examining the object while holding her left cheek before concluding that it appeared to be a tooth.

According to the lawsuit, Castillo was disgusted and sickened by the discovery and visited a doctor later that evening, where she received prescriptions.

The complaint alleges that she incurred medical expenses and experienced physical pain, mental anguish and other damages.

Castillo is suing Torchy's Tacos and Success Foods Management Group, which does business as Torchy's Tacos, alleging that the defendants failed to properly prepare, inspect and distribute the food before selling it to customers.

The lawsuit further alleges that Torchy's failed to adequately monitor its meat supplier and breached implied warranties that food sold to consumers is fit for consumption. It also alleges violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and federal food safety requirements.

Castillo contends that she would not have purchased the meal, or would have examined it more closely, had she known about the alleged defect.

She is seeking monetary relief of $250,000 or less, with any final award to be determined by a jury.

Vasquez also told Fox News Digital that he has become aware of other individuals reporting similar experiences with Torchy's since the story received attention, although those accounts have not been independently verified.

The attorney characterized the company's earlier responses as providing limited information while shifting blame and responsibility to others.

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Torchy's, meanwhile, maintains that it took the complaint seriously and conducted a thorough review.

"We are aware of the situation and take all concerns about our food seriously," the company told KVUE.

Torchy's did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The popular grocery store Trader Joe's is expanding with 30 new locations across 16 states.

Two of the stores — in Anaheim Hills, California, and West Jordan, Utah — are set to open this week, according to Trader Joe's website.

The other 28, which span states from Arizona to Washington, are listed as "coming soon."

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A spokesperson for Trader Joe's told Fox News Digital that stores are typically added to the list three to six months before planned openings.

Three of the newest additions — in Bend, Oregon; Boynton Beach, Florida; and Phoenix — are expected to open in 2027, according to local and national reports.

"We are actively looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country as we hope to open more new neighborhood stores each year," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Illinois has the most locations on the "coming soon" list, with four stores planned in Oswego, Chicago and Joliet. California, Florida and Texas have three each.

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Arizona, New Jersey, New York and Washington have two apiece, while Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio and Oregon each have one.

Trader Joe's operates about 660 stores nationwide. Shoppers can check the company's store-opening announcements for updates as more locations receive opening dates.

"Since Trader Joe's began in 1967, we have been in growth mode," the spokesperson added. "Some years we grow more than others, and our goal is always to bring delicious products at great values to as many people and neighborhoods as we can."

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The chain was founded in Pasadena, California, by Joe Coulombe. It has since built a following around its private-label groceries, from seasonal favorites such as Apple Cider Donuts, Pumpkin-Flavored Joe-Joe's cookies and holiday Jingle Jangle to affordable skincare that shoppers have called "dupes" of high-end brands.

The store's $2.99 mini canvas totes recently went viral, with shoppers lining up for new colors and some resale listings asking for hundreds of dollars.

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Its crew members, meanwhile, are known for their unusually warm, chatty checkout demeanor that some shoppers mistake for flirting, Fox News Digital previously reported.

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Trader Joe's gets hundreds of requests each day for new stores but expands cautiously, prioritizing real estate and supply-chain efficiency, Entrepreneur magazine editor-in-chief Jason Feifer previously said in a viral post. He argued that the deliberate pace helps the chain keep prices low and preserve its in-store "treasure hunt" feel.

Kyle Kennedy, the granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, has died at the age of 42.

Kennedy, the daughter of Michael Kennedy and Victoria Gifford Kennedy, died Sept. 21 at her Massachusetts home, according to an obituary published by Burke Funeral Homes.

Her cause of death remains pending, People reported.

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Born in Washington, D.C., on July 6, 1984, Kennedy spent much of her upbringing in Cohasset, Massachusetts. She attended Milton Academy before earning a bachelor’s degree in history from Georgetown University.

She went on to pursue advanced degrees in education, earning a master of science in early education from Pace University and a master of education in education policy and management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Kennedy began her professional life with Teach for America, teaching for two years in New York City public schools. That experience sparked a lifelong commitment to early childhood education and reform, according to her obituary.

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Over the course of her career, Kennedy worked as an advocate for equitable elementary education and charter schools, collaborated with education technology companies on curriculum improvement, and served as an instructional coach for primary school educators.

An avid athlete and long-distance runner, Kennedy completed the 2019 Boston Marathon.

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In 2020, Kennedy suffered a severe spinal cord injury that caused long-term paralysis and significant health obstacles.

Following her injury, Kennedy focused on disability rights advocacy, including testifying at the Massachusetts State House on healthcare discrimination against individuals living with disabilities.

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Kennedy was preceded in death by her father, Michael, in 1997, and her infant daughter, Josie.

Kennedy is survived by her sons, Conor, 12, and Declan, 10; her ex-husband, Liam; her mother, Victoria (the daughter of Frank Gifford and Maxine Avis Ewart and Kathie Lee Gifford’s stepdaughter); her brother, Michael, and his family; and her sister, Rory, and her family.

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Funeral services were held privately.

A powerful new synthetic opioid said to be more potent than fentanyl has been linked to dozens of recent deaths in the U.S., prompting warnings from health officials.

Tennessee was an early hotspot, with the state’s health department announcing in March that more than 30 fatal overdoses had been associated with cychlorphine since October 2025.

An April 2026 notice from the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy cited at least 41 Tennessee deaths between July 2025 and February 2026 and at least 55 deaths nationally.

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Fatal overdoses have also been reported in Illinois, California and Oklahoma, according to public health and law enforcement records.

"Cychlorphine is particularly dangerous due to its strength, where a very small amount can cause someone to stop breathing," the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in its advisory.

Nicholas Kardaras, Ph.D., CEO and chief clinical officer of the New York Center for Living in Manhattan and a clinical professor at Stony Brook Medicine’s School of Social Welfare, called cychlorphine "the new fentanyl on steroids."

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Cychlorphine is a novel, unregulated synthetic opioid that activates the same receptors as fentanyl, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. It can cause profound sedation, slowed or stopped breathing, or death.

The drug is not approved for medical use and has been detected in illicit drugs and counterfeit pills.

Kardaras called cychlorphine "one of the most potent synthetic opioids" now appearing in the illicit drug supply.

"Fentanyl is about 50 times more potent than morphine or heroin," he told Fox News Digital. "Cychlorphine is reportedly up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl — so theoretically, about 500 times more potent than morphine or heroin."

"This new synthetic drug is making fentanyl look like yesterday's candy."

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Cychlorphine is taken in various forms — people can ingest it as a pill, snort it in powder form or crush it and administer it intravenously, according to Kardaras.

"The problem has been, in addition to its potency, it's often put in other designer drugs and in counterfeit pills," he cautioned.

While some people seek out cychlorphine for its potency, others may ingest it unknowingly when it is mixed into other substances.

"Sometimes, by talking about how potent some of these substances are, we increase the allure of them for some addicts, unfortunately," Kardaras said.

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While cychlorphine is primarily a street drug, it can also be purchased online or via "boutique designer-drug markets," according to the expert.

Cychlorphine can cause a fatal overdose in anyone, regardless of age. Kardaras said younger people may face greater exposure because some are more likely to experiment with drugs or purchase counterfeit pills.

"They’re buying something online … and all of a sudden, without knowing it, they’re ingesting fentanyl or another synthetic opioid," he said.

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Naloxone, commonly sold under the brand name Narcan, can reverse cychlorphine’s opioid effects, but multiple or prolonged doses may be needed.

"What used to take one or two doses of Narcan to reverse an overdose may now require five or six doses, based on anecdotal evidence," Kardaras said.

The DEA advises people to administer naloxone immediately, call 911 and be prepared to give additional doses.

Another major concern with cychlorphine is that standard fentanyl test strips and routine hospital opioid urine screens do not detect it.

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"Most drug tests have very specific chemical structures that they detect in any kind of synthetic or non-synthetic drug, and this new one hasn't quite been baked into the current testing strips," Kardaras noted.

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The takeaway, he said, is that cychlorphine may be up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl, is not detected by standard fentanyl test strips or routine hospital opioid urine screens, and may require multiple doses of naloxone to reverse.

"So it's a triple whammy," he said. "It's a constant battle of keeping up with the latest iterations of new drugs."

A McDonald's in Paris was left ransacked and heavily damaged after cost-of-living protests exploded into riots and widespread looting that also targeted restaurants, cafés and grocery stores across the French capital — with the city now issuing curfews in two places, The Associated Press reported.

The McDonald's on Boulevard de Magenta near Gare de l'Est suffered smashed windows and extensive damage inside, according to Le Monde.

Computer screens were damaged — while an ice cream machine continued spilling vanilla onto a ketchup-covered floor, the outlet reported.

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Intruders even attempted to cook french fries before a man and his dog drove about 20 people from the restaurant, a security guard told the publication.

Fox News Digital reached out to McDonald's for comment about the vandalism.

The American-based fast-food chain was hardly the only food business to be caught up in the destruction.

A neighborhood café was burned out, a wine shop was destroyed and supermarkets were among the businesses targeted as unrest swept Paris.

Among the hardest hit was La Barrique, a neighborhood café near Place de la République that was burned out, according to Le Monde.

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The son of the café's owners told the outlet his mother was inside when the business was attacked and was later taken to a hospital with a head injury.

Grocery stores were hit hard as well.

The Franprix, Monoprix, Picard and Carrefour City locations were among the grocery retailers targeted during the unrest, according to French news agency AFP.

At a Franprix on Rue Beaurepaire near Place de la République, shelves were emptied and products were either stolen or crushed on the floor. 

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Looters elsewhere were seen leaving supermarkets carrying bags filled with food, juice and alcohol, Le Monde reported.

An Intermarché Express on Boulevard de Magenta was also looted. A crew from Euronews said they were assaulted by masked individuals while reporting near the supermarket.

A Nicolas wine shop on Boulevard de Magenta was also destroyed — with shattered bottles and wine covering the area outside the store, according to Le Monde.

The destruction was part of widespread violence that followed demonstrations Saturday over the rising cost of living and other grievances.

French-born restaurateur Olivia Ostrow, who now operates Maison Ostrow in South Florida, told Fox News Digital the unrest reflects tensions extending far beyond the French capital.

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Ostrow, who was born in Paris and whose grandparents survived the Holocaust, expressed concern about what she described as rising antisemitism and the role of social media in fueling hostility.

She argued that some demonstrators have embraced political causes without fully understanding the history behind them.

"Those kids and most of those people couldn't point to Israel on the world map if it hit them in the face," she said.

Many on social media shared their dismay about what is happening in France.

"I have nothing but disgust for anyone trying to justify this," wrote one person. "Let me say it, the ones suffering the consequences are ordinary French people, not the government. It's ordinary citizens who will pay for this, whose cars were burned, whose businesses and homes were looted, and whose physical integrity were threatened."

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"These are not protests anymore," another person wrote.

Several European governments are now advising travelers to France to avoid large crowds and exercise caution during their stay, Reuters reported.

Cancer can strike at any age, often without symptoms. For many cancers, routine screening remains the best way to detect the disease early and reduce the risk of death.

For lung cancer, screening guidelines can vary, as the disease doesn’t always show obvious signals and can occur in both smokers and never-smokers.

Daniel J. Boffa, M.D., chair of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and a thoracic surgeon at Yale University, noted that lung cancer screening is "one of the most powerful ways" to boost survival.

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"It reduces the chance of people dying of lung cancer by 20%," he told Fox News Digital.

The share of Americans who are eligible for screening but don’t comply translates to "tens of thousands of preventable deaths every year," according to Boffa.

"I'm hoping that within four or five years, a screening CT scan will only be confirmatory after they have a positive blood test done at your doctor's office," he added.

That approach could make screening easier and potentially help detect more lung cancers, according to the doctor.

Potential symptoms

In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Lary Robinson, M.D., an oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, noted that in most cases, early-stage lung cancer will not come with any symptoms.

In those who do have symptoms, however, the most common are related to the lungs, including a persistent cough, shortness of breath or coughing up blood.

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Unexplained weight loss can result from any form of cancer, according to the oncologist. Neurological symptoms, like persistent headaches, may also warrant seeing a doctor.

Current guidelines

Current lung cancer screening guidelines recommend an annual low-dose CT scan for people between the ages of 50 and 80 who currently smoke or have a history of smoking or have at least a 20 pack-year history of smoking, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Before making the decision to get screened, individuals should speak with their healthcare providers about the purpose of the screening and how it’s done, as well as the benefits, limits and possible harms, ACS advised.

Those who still smoke should be counseled about quitting and offered interventions and resources to help.

Individuals with serious health problems that will "likely limit" their lifespan should not be screened, according to ACS, as well as those who won’t be able to get treatment if lung cancer is detected.

NEVER SMOKED A CIGARETTE? YOU COULD STILL BE AT HIGHER RISK FOR LUNG CANCER

Although one out of seven lung cancers will affect someone who has never smoked, there is currently not a set screening guideline for never-smokers.

Finding individuals who would benefit from screening is an "intense area of research," according to Boffa. For now, people with a direct family history of lung cancer without smoking should consider annual screenings, as should higher-risk demographics like Asian women.

"I would anticipate that in the next year or two, we will have better guidance for people who are at risk for lung cancer, but never smoked," Boffa predicted.

What to expect

Boffa noted that advances in lung cancer treatment have improved survival, even at advanced stages, so screening should not be viewed as a pathway to a terminal diagnosis.

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"People are really reluctant to be diagnosed with lung cancer because it does carry a stigma," Boffa said. "For years, there was a reputation that it was a terminal diagnosis. It's just been amazing what research has done for lung cancer."

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Most screenings detect a lung nodule or other abnormality, which is more often an infection, scar or inflammation than a tumor, he said.

In about one-third of patients, lung cancer screenings also detect unrelated health issues, including the hardening of heart arteries or a nodule in another part of the body.

"The reality is over 99% of nodules are actually benign," Boffa said. "And so, you need to have a conversation about what you are going to do with that information."

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"I think having that conversation ahead of time is really important so that expectations are set – it's not uncommon to find something. Most of the time, it's not something that's going to affect how long you live."

The doctor noted that the CT scan only takes a couple of minutes to perform and does not take place in an enclosed space like an MRI.

"People who get claustrophobic usually don't have a hard time with lung cancer screening," Boffa said. "And it usually takes a few days to get a report back."

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For those who are over 50 with a history of smoking, Boffa reiterated that getting screened is "one of the most powerful things you can do to reduce your chances of having your life shortened by lung cancer."