Nanny State
FDA Belatedly and Arbitrarily Approves Menthol Vapes
The agency's inscrutable approach to harm-reducing nicotine products sacrifices consumer choice and public health on the altar of youth protection.
Banning Flavored Tobacco Products Doesn't Work—We Have the Trash To Prove It
Researchers examined garbage placed in public receptacles in Washington, D.C., and New York City and found that the locales’ bans on flavored tobacco products have unquestionably failed.
The Stop Comstock Act Doesn't Go Far Enough
Upcoming legislation would repeal parts of the 1873 law that could be used to target abortion, but the Comstock Act's reach is much more broad than that.
Will Banning Nonalcoholic Beer Save the Children?
No, but a Stanford psychologist says people under age 21 should be banned from buying some nonalcoholic drinks to protect kids from "drinking culture."
The Bikeriders Is a Nostalgic Vision of America's Postwar Counterculture
Jeff Nichols tells the tragic story of a carefree Midwest motorcycle gang that transforms into something uglier.
Judge Tosses Biometric Data Suit Against X
X's child porn detection system doesn’t violate an Illinois biometric privacy law, the judge ruled.
Zynsurrection Time
Plus: War in Sudan, federal homeschooling regulations, E.A. vs. progress studies, and more...
The Deadly Tobacco Drug War Down Under
Australia’s Prohibition-style attempts to abolish nicotine use have predictably led to a new drug war being fought over a legal substance.
Feds Arrest Telehealth Execs for Overprescribing Adderall
But will the government ever face repercussions for its role in the Adderall shortage?
The Myth of the Argentine Yoga School Sex Cult
Prosecutors say the Buenos Aires Yoga School was a sex trafficking cult, but the alleged victims say this isn't true.
More Evidence that Bans on Flavored Vaping Products May Increase Teen Smoking
Policies that increase the use of traditional cigarettes are unlikely to improve public health.
Oh God, What If Congress Bans Drinking on Airplanes?
New research and paternalistic legislators could threaten our last in-flight comfort.
California's Tortilla Bill Threatens To Flatten Small Businesses
Proposed legislation mandates folic acid in masa flour, sparking fears among traditional tortilla makers about costs and cultural impact.
California's $20 Fast Food Minimum Wage Law Is Already Having Disastrous Unintended Consequences
Many have seen their hours reduced—or have lost their jobs entirely.
Craft Distilleries Fight for Survival Amid Crushing Regulations
Once booming, the industry now faces closures and stifling market access due to outdated laws and burdensome middlemen.
Super Size Me Was Not Groundbreaking Journalism
Morgan Spurlock's death and legacy are a reminder that skepticism is a necessary part of any balanced diet.
What Does Decriminalized Sex Work Actually Look Like?
I visited Australia and New Zealand to find out. Spoiler: It’s great for everyone.
Samuel Alito Was Foolish To Sell His Bud Light Stock
The conservative culture war boycott against Bud Light was actually a great time to buy stock in a successful company, even if you don't like Bud Light.
San Diego Is Cracking Down on Groups Exercising Outside Without a Permit
A revision to the municipal code made it illegal for groups of four or more people to convene in public spaces for commercial recreational activities without a government stamp of approval.
Belgium Protects Sex Work Employees' Right To Refuse Customers, Sex Acts
A new labor law getting bad press is explicitly drafted to stop sex businesses from punishing workers who set boundaries.
Cop Who Dodged Sentence for Killing Sex Worker Gets 11 Years for Abducting More Sex Workers
The victims received no restitution payment.
The Best of Reason: The Future of Porn Is Consensual Deepfakes
OnlyFans lets women distribute their own porn. Artificial intelligence will give them even more control.
OpenAI Is Open To AI-Generated Erotica…but Not 'Porn'
The company's confusing statements about how ChatGPT should respond to sexual prompts
The Future of Porn Is Consensual Deepfakes
OnlyFans let women distribute their own porn. Artificial intelligence will give them even more control.
The Federal Government is Literally Taxing Air
Arcane tax rules based on carbonation levels are flattening the growth of America's craft cider industry.
Alabama's New Sex Trafficking Law Could Mean Life in Prison for Trafficking Victims
It's the war on drugs all over again, folks...
Supreme Court Won't Stop Texas Porn Law From Taking Effect
"We will continue to fight for the right to access the internet without intrusive government oversight," says the group challenging the law.
No One Can Make Government Work
If businesses don't serve customers well, they go out of business. Government, on the other hand, is a monopoly.
Backpage: A Blueprint for Squelching Speech
How the Backpage prosecution helped create a playbook for suppressing online speech, debanking disfavored groups, and using "conspiracy" charges to imprison the government's targets
Big Beer vs. Canned Cocktails in the Grocery Aisle
Uncovering Big Beer’s crafty campaign to limit consumer access to canned cocktails.
Nick Gillespie: Keep America's Borders Open
"We should be building a wall around the welfare state, not the United States," Nick Gillespie argued at a recent immigration debate.
California's New Social Media Law Invites Expensive Lawsuits
Instead of trusting parents to manage their families, lawmakers from both parties prefer to empower the Nanny State.
Judge Acquits Backpage Co-Founder Michael Lacey on Most Counts
The court found insufficient evidence to sustain 53 of 84 remaining counts against Lacey.
These States Want You To Show ID To Watch Porn Online
At least eight states have already enacted age-verification laws, and several more are considering bills.
It Took Me Months To Get the ADHD Meds the DEA Says Are Overprescribed
I'm the DEA's poster child for prescription stimulant abuse: a 30-something adult who needs a telehealth psychiatrist and can't remember what day the garbage truck comes.
Review: Fun Police Podcast Exposes the Nanny State
Don't trust the do-gooders campaigning against drinking, smoking, and gambling.
Adult Entertainment Group Asks Supreme Court To Block Texas Age-Verification Law
"Profound irreparable harm flows from the Act's chilling of adults' access to protected sexual expression," the filing reads.
States Keep Passing Unconstitutional Age-Verification Laws for Porn Sites
Kentucky's governor signed a law last week that could require porn sites to ask for users' government IDs before allowing access to adult material.
Georgia Cops Are Still Hassling Vape Stores Over Legal Products
Courts have repeatedly ruled that delta-8 and delta-10 products are legal. So why are officers and district attorneys still raiding shops?
Will the FDA Adopt an Arbitrary and Capricious Ban on Menthol Cigarettes?
The research the FDA relies upon to claim banning menthol cigarettes would improve public health is not aligned with the agency's approach to tobacco regulation.
No Pseudonymity for Porn Copyright Infringement Defendants, Says One Judge
The cases on the subject are sharply split, reflecting how ill-defined the law of pseudonymous litigation is.
How Michigan Lost $1 Million of Liquor
Sadly, not by drinking it—the government just lost a fifth of the state’s inventory.
Report: Adderall Shortage Led to 10 Percent Fewer Prescriptions Filled
The government still blames the private sector despite its own role in creating, exacerbating, and prolonging the shortage.
Defending Pornography in the Age of Safe Spaces: A Q&A With Nadine Strossen
The civil liberties lawyer talks to Reason about the misguided impulse to attack free speech in the name of protecting women.
