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A trucker who took CBD oil for pain control was abruptly fired after failing a drug test that found THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana, in his system. Although the product was marketed as THC free – a claim the man verified with the manufacturer – it was not and federal law mandated his termination. It's yet another case of awful drug laws and even worse science harming good people.

The announcement that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was chosen to possibly be the next head of HHS raises many questions about his suitability for the job, especially given some of his controversial beliefs. Here are a dozen questions I would ask Mr. Kennedy.

Cannabinol (CBN), a component of cannabis, is being touted as a sleep aid. Researchers in Australia did a thorough study of CBN in rats and also discovered that a CBN metabolite that is less effective is present in large amounts. More importantly, both drugs kept the rats awake longer, not what you'd want from a sleep aid.

It's not hard to find some crazy trends on TikTok, often involving health claims. But how many can be turned into a Dreaded Chemistry Lesson From Hell? Here's the first, along with reasons not to take methylene blue supplements.

Our drug policies, and the agencies that enforce them, would be laughable if they didn't do so much harm. Perhaps the "methamphetamine follies," a saga of incompetence, will have come full circle thanks to the extraordinarily delayed removal of Sudafed PE from pharmacy shelves. But don't bet on it.

With the possibility of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. being involved in health policy in the next administration, vaccination – especially mRNA vaccines – will become a hot topic. Is there anything to fear from an mRNA vaccine?

This week’s reading menu includes everything from the relics of microwave “technology” (the appliance that time forgot) to professors who can’t seem to avoid stealing bland prose. We’re also diving into the murky waters of AI. Finally, a heartwarming existential crisis, courtesy of Atul Gawande, reminding us that life is a bit more meaningful when we control our own stories—or at least pretend to.

From lotteries funding colonial infrastructure to a full-blown state lottery with per-capita spending rivaling casino spending, Massachusetts’ love affair with gambling is a rollercoaster of legalized highs and criminal lows. Now, with a state-authorized study of casinos’ impact, we can see if they have delivered their promised prosperity – or if they’ve just rolled snake eyes.

Ever wonder how the USDA thinks you should eat on a budget? Meet the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) — a bland, one-size-fits-all diet optimized for “nutrition” on a dime. But for food, we have a great many culturally appetizing choices. A new study in Nutrients takes aim at that oversight, proposing a Hispanic Thrifty Food Plan that’s more pork and less tofu.

While medical headlines often focus on the biochemical underpinnings of disease, our body's biomechanics are equally crucial. A recent study explores how hypertension affects lung function, revealing that high blood pressure doesn’t just strain the heart, but also alters the mechanics of breathing.

Aquaculture, the golden child of industrial food production, promises to feed the masses while saving wild fish. While farmed fish production has skyrocketed, its efficiency can’t hide the fact that wild stocks are still overfished, and ecosystems are paying the price. Does aquaculture rescue wild fish populations – or put them at greater risk?

Sugar is America’s favorite carb and the sweetheart of federal subsidies. Uncle Sam has been feeding the sugar industry for over two centuries while we foot the bill, shelling out for a market manipulated to prop up sugar prices far above what the rest of the world pays. And that doesn’t consider sugar’s impact on our health. If we, the people, are not benefiting, who is?

Ah, post-election, where the real begins. This week, I’ve read on the hallowed (and heated) grounds of scientific 'neutrality,' checked out Julia Child's vintage gadget arsenal at the Smithsonian, revisiting Tutankhamun's tomb, and got a quiet glimpse into the 9/11 Memorial.

Nary a day goes by that the plaintiffs’ bar is not busily at work initiating a new mass tort action. Some cases expand on earlier initiatives, like the Valsartan cases. The theory against these was launched from the Zantac claims, which are still clogging court calendars.

More In Common, a non-profit that believes "that what we have in common is stronger than what divides us," ran this study in 2018. It remains a touchstone today.

Mark Hahn and I discuss the critical vulnerabilities in the U.S. drug supply from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Surrogates are effectively used in politics and pregnancy. In the former case, no one raises an eyebrow. When it comes to pregnancy, however, laws and societal views vary globally. These distinctions foster inequities in the treatment of gestational carriers and invite reproductive tourism. Italy is the latest country to staunch the surrogate supply.

A JAMA study suggests that when doctors team up with Artificial Intelligence, they do indeed reach conclusions faster and, in some cases, even more accurately. But there's a catch: AI isn't exactly acing the test when it comes to the critical art of clinical reasoning. So, does adding AI make doctors smarter – or just faster?

There is an inherent conflict of interest – and the potential for injury to public health – when a federal department both regulates and promotes an industry. Nowhere is this more evident than at USDA.

An inherent conflict of interest – USDA both regulating and promoting livestock industries – prevents appropriate responses to outbreaks of infectious disease.

During World War II, sugar was scarce and everyone made do with less. Turns out, sugar rationing might have shielded an entire generation from diabetes and hypertension. The latest research suggests that limiting sugar in those crucial early days, from conception to toddlerhood, could be a game-changer in reducing chronic disease risk decades later.

It seems the Mayo Clinic is more interested in spinning a cautionary tale than sticking to the facts about opioid use for pain relief – and Red Lawhern isn't letting it off the hook. In his latest article, the ACSH advisor calls out Mayo for promoting the fear-laden idea that opioid prescriptions practically guarantee addiction, or worse. It turns out the real story in their data reads more like "healthcare fails the vulnerable" than "one pill, and you're hooked." But why let nuance get in the way of a good scare?

As the EPA rolls out new lead regulations to curb lead exposure in homes and water systems, the question is whether these measures will live up to their promises. Lowering lead levels in dust and replacing service lines within a decade sounds like progress, but will these rules prove realistic and practical on the ground? With staggering cost estimates and concerns about access to affordable housing and safe water, it’s clear this ambitious plan faces both practical and financial hurdles.

An unneeded solution is looking for a non-existent problem. It's one more illustration of the reality that all of U.S. public health policy on the so-called "prescription opioid crisis" is outright fraudulent.

As part of a challenge study conducted during the pandemic, 34 healthy volunteers were deliberately infected with SARS-CoV-2 to assess the potential cognitive impacts of COVID-19. Everything about the experiment, from its timing to its design, was suspect and almost certainly unethical.