For Wednesday, July 5, WGN’s Ben Bradley and Jackie Bange have the latest on new medical information, including:

Study: Cannabis use disorder can lead to surgery complications, death

Smoking too much marijuana could lead to major surgery complications down the road, including death, that’s according to a new study from the McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas.  

The study found people with pot dependencies are more likely to experience various issues following elective surgery. The potential complications include blood clots, strokes, kidney issues, and in some cases, even death. 

The increase was slight as people with cannabis use disorder were about 8% higher risk — compared to 6.5% for others. 

But the study’s authors say it shows it’s important to pre-screen for cannabis use disorder. 

Bad tick season has likely peaked

Experts say a dreadful tick season has probably hit its peak. 

Still, experts stress the importance of taking precautions against rising tick-borne disease cases. 

According to a CDC report, tick bites caused more than 100 of every 100,000 emergency room visits in May and June — a higher rate than in previous years. 

Some say the rising rates may result from an expanding tick habitat.