China’s Poorly Regulated Food and Drugs Threaten U.S. Consumers

When the coronavirus pandemic slows and allows us to catch a breath — both literally and figuratively — there will be an international reckoning that likely will end with China bearing the brunt of the blame. In order to force China to implement adequate safety standards, we should stop importing essential items, especially food, medicine and medical equipment, until the country proves that it can be a responsible member of the global community. Read the rest at USA Today.

La Croix Is the Latest Victim of a Junk Science Lawsuit

La Croix, a popular and “naturally” flavored sparkling water distributed by the National Beverage Corp., has been sued for including synthetic ingredients, among them a cockroach insecticide. This is yet another example of trial lawyers using junk science in an attempt to score a jackpot verdict, and the outcome of the trial has implications for local beverage companies, such as Talking Rain and even Starbucks. Read the rest at Puget Sound Business Journal.

We Need a DUI Test for Marijuana

Cheyllyn Ranae Collinsworth, an 18-year-old Washington state resident, died in May following a car crash. The person responsible was driving under the influence of marijuana and has been charged with vehicular manslaughter. In states where marijuana is legal, car collisions are up 3%, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute. Although marijuana impairs driving ability, police knew the driver in Washington had been using the drug only because he confessed. Read the rest at Wall Street Journal

Drug Supplies: Track Marks

MOST of the world’s supply of cocaine comes from just three South American countries: Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Much of it is headed for the United States and Europe. Law-enforcement officials from America patrol international waters in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, hoping to seize cocaine shipments before they reach their intended destinations. When they succeed in nabbing any smugglers, contraband samples are sent to chemists to help determine the source. Read the rest at The Economist.

Hormesis: Is the ‘Low-Dose Effect’ Real?

This article was originally posted on ACSH.

When presented with quantum entanglement, Albert Einstein derided it as “spooky action at a distance.” When meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed his theory of continental drift, he was mocked. And when internist Barry Marshall’s suggestion that ulcers were caused by a bacterium was dismissed by the biomedical community, he swallowed a flask-full of the stuff to prove his point.

What these three completely unrelated topics – quantum entanglement, continental drift, and ulcers as an infectious disease – have in common are two striking features: (1) they sounded completely nuts at the time; and (2) they are demonstrably and undeniably true. Continue reading

New Sponge Absorbs, Releases Oil on Demand

This article was originally posted on RealClearScience.

As long as the global economy relies on oil, oil spills are a constant hazard. Devising innovative and efficient ways to clean up the messes is, therefore, a top environmental priority. Now, a team of Korean researchers has designed a “nano-sponge” that absorbs and desorbs oil on demand. And, unlike many other materials used to clean up oil spills, their invention is reusable. The researchers published the details in the journal Scientific Reports. Continue reading

Hair Test for Marijuana Proves Nothing

This article was originally posted on RealClearScience.

There are few things that pot enthusiasts dread more than the unannounced drug test. A positive test for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, can result in the loss of a job or child custody. But new research by a team of German scientists suggests that detecting THC in a hair sample doesn’t prove cannabis consumption. Continue reading