Massachusetts Lawmakers Say They Want to Loosen Booze Rules. This Proposal Would Do the Opposite.
The fine print of the latest alcohol regulation proposal in Massachusetts is revealing.
Nanny State
COVID-19 Measures Magnified the Wars on Drugs and Sex Work
Plus: International Whores' Day, U.S. Postal Service sued over the seizure of Black Lives Matter masks, and more...
The Volokh Conspiracy Merch You've Always Wanted
Or perhaps just a few items we thought readers might like.
Study: Jersey Girls' Refusal To Pump Gas Is Costing Everyone a Lot of Money
Research on the effects of Oregon's loosening of its self-service gas ban finds that allowing adults to pump their own gas increases supply and lowers prices.
Teenagers Who Use Marijuana Are Shifting From Smoking to Vaping. Should We Be Alarmed?
The overall prevalence of cannabis consumption among adolescents rose between 2017 and 2019 but has fallen since then.
A Feminist Debate on Sex Work
Reason's Elizabeth Nolan Brown makes the case for legalizing sex work. Author Julie Bindel wants customers to be held criminally liable.
Feminists Debate Sex Work: The Soho Forum
Reason's Elizabeth Nolan Brown makes the case for legalizing sex work. Author Julie Bindel wants customers to be held criminally liable.
Former FDA Official: The Prohibition on European Baby Formula Isn't About Safety
"The knot in getting that product into the U.S. isn't safety, it's a regulatory issue," says Peter Pitts.
The First Amendment Protects the Right To Put a Tiny Penis on a Beer Label
A federal judge ruled Monday that North Carolina bureaucrats violated the Constitution when they tried to ban a Flying Dog beer over a possible penis on the label.
Yet Another Study Blames Food Companies for Parental Choices
Food companies don't determine what parents put in their shopping carts.
Samuel Alito Thinks It's Obviously Absurd To Suggest That Drug Prohibition Violates the Constitution
The justice overlooks the long American tradition of pharmacological freedom and the dubious constitutional basis for federal bans.
California Is Forcing Smokers To Buy More Dangerous Products
Banning less harmful tobacco alternatives is not a way to improve public health.
The DHS Will Be Disinformation Dolts
Plus: perpetual "scope creep" of the welfare state
The FDA Uses Its New Authority To Close Off the Last Remaining Legal Option for Vapers Who Like Flavor Variety
In a move that is likely to undermine public health, the agency warns that products containing synthetic nicotine "will be subject to FDA enforcement."
Why Did Pandemic Authorities Treat Tattoo Shops Like Titty Bars?
"Government restrictions came in, which literally shut us down," says Paul Smith, who co-owns Red Stag Tattoo in Austin, Texas.
The FDA's Menthol Cigarette Ban Is a 'Racial Justice' Issue, but Not in the Way Its Supporters Mean
The proposed rule, which targets the cigarettes that black smokers overwhelmingly prefer, will harm the community it is supposed to help.
Aella: Libertarian Sex Worker Turned Data Scientist
"I am not okay with you making laws that prevent me from doing what I feel is good for me."
FDA Case for Menthol Ban Undermined by New Study
Menthols aren’t harder to quit than other cigarettes.
Her Dream Was To Open a Vegan Tattoo Shop. Zoning Officials Shut Her Down.
"It's a lot to try and put this stuff all together all on my own, using my own savings, and then having to start all over," says Venus Vegan Tattoo owner Selena Carrion.
Meet Aella: The Libertarian Rationalist Sex Worker Turned Data Scientist
"I am not okay with you making laws that prevent me from doing what I feel is good for me."
Georgia Cops Crack Down on Vape Shops for Selling Legal Products
In Georgia, the difference between delta-8 and delta-9 THC is the difference between legal and illegal, but police are threatening store owners over both.
Alcohol Delivery Doesn't Lead To Underage Drinking
The history of wine delivery is pretty clear.
What Old-Time Saloons Tell Us About the Pandemic's Damage
Killing barroom social networks kills innovation.
The FDA's Rejection of a Major Vaping Brand Shows It Is Arbitrarily Applying a Nebulous Legal Standard
The agency's obsession with adolescent vaping is driving decisions that undermine public health.
The New Campaign for a Sex-Free Internet
Sex, money, and the future of online free speech
Rhode Island Senators Consider Two Paths To Decriminalizing Prostitution
One bill would repeal a range of laws against sex work, while the other would change them from criminal to civil offenses.
Welcome to the Nicotine Prohibition Era
Regulators have long targeted tobacco products, but there's new energy behind outright bans on vapes and cigarettes.
Spring Break in Miami Brings a 'State of Emergency'
Curfews and alcohol rollbacks meant to mitigate danger actually hurt local businesses.
Are Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz Ignorant About Child Porn Penalties or Just Demagogic?
Even if the senators are genuinely confused, that underlines the recklessness of their attack on Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Belgium Decriminalizes Prostitution
Belgium is the first country in Europe to decriminalize selling and paying for sex.
Josh Hawley's Attack on Ketanji Brown Jackson Illustrates the Emotionalism She Criticized
The senator argues that questioning sex offender policies "endangers our children."
Ketanji Brown Jackson Explains to Lawmakers How Being a Lawyer Works
As expected, Tuesday's hearing was primarily made up of political theater.
Here Is What Ketanji Brown Jackson Said in the Harvard Law Review Article That Josh Hawley Found 'Alarming'
The Supreme Court nominee raised serious constitutional concerns about laws that punish sex offenders after they complete their sentences.
Josh Hawley Absurdly Suggests That Ketanji Brown Jackson Has a Soft Spot for 'Child Predators'
The Missouri senator's attack on the Supreme Court nominee elides crucial distinctions and ignores widespread judicial criticism of child pornography sentences.
Who Will Be the First Person To Go to Prison for Selling Flavored Tobacco or E-Cigarettes?
It’s likely to happen any day now.
Booze News: Party Bikes in Rhode Island, Hard Seltzer in Utah
Plus: tasting rooms in Alaska and liquor delivery in Alabama
Why Can't the CDC Tell the Truth About Smoking and Vaping by Teenagers?
The agency ignores downward trends in both kinds of nicotine use and obscures the huge difference in the hazards they pose.
With Just 10 Signatures, This Gas Station Owner Could Kill a Ban on Pumping Your Own Gas
Legislators in New Jersey and Oregon keep failing to repeal their states' bans on self-service gas stations. Is Massachusetts' small town direct democracy the solution?
The Sex-Ad Law FOSTA Was a Mistake. Some Lawmakers Want to Fix It.
The SAFE SEX Workers Study Act would look at the impact of FOSTA and the seizure of sites like Backpage and Rentboy.
Congress Seems Poised To Let the FDA Ban E-Cigarettes Containing Synthetic Nicotine
A spending bill provision would redefine "tobacco products" to include products that have nothing to do with tobacco.
Idaho Lawmakers Threaten To Jail Librarians for Letting Kids Read LGBT Books
A new bill would alter state law to remove an educational exception for disseminating works the community deems "harmful" to minors.
D.C. Managed To Lose $4 Million on Its Own Sports Betting App
Despite having a near-monopoly on districtwide betting, poor decisions and mismanagement led to millions in losses on GambetDC.
Why Are You Boycotting American Vodka To Punish Russia?
Only 1.2 percent of U.S. vodka imports come from Russia.
The Fuzzy Moral Line Between Drinkers and Bartenders
Were liquor suppliers across the world guilty of outrageous abuses that explain the prohibitionist response?
