Abortion Drug Ban, Hurricane Season, and Best Companies.

Adam Rogers
May 24, 2024

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Louisiana lawmakers passed a bill to reclassify two abortion-inducing drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, as controlled and dangerous substances.

Louisana will be the first state to make abortion pills a controlled substance. The bill now awaits the governor's signature, who is expected to sign it into law.
Currently, Louisiana law requires a prescription for these drugs and criminalizes their use for abortions in most cases. Reclassifying the drugs as Schedule IV substances would further restrict access, requiring doctors to have special licenses and store the drugs in certain facilities, potentially far from rural clinics.
Over 200 doctors signed a letter expressing concerns that this could create barriers to necessary medical treatment and worsen health outcomes in a state already struggling with high maternal mortality rates.
Critics argue the healthcare community hasn't properly vetted the bill which could lead to more harm later on. Proponents argue it will prevent bad actors from unlawfully using abortion pills. The bill also aligns with ongoing efforts in other Republican-led states to impose tighter restrictions on abortion drugs.

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center expects an above-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic for 2024, which lasts from June 1 to November 30.

There is an 85% chance of an above-normal season. NOAA predicts 17 to 25 named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher. Out of these, 8 to 13 could become hurricanes with 74 mph winds or higher, including 4 to 7 major hurricanes with 111 mph winds or higher.
The expected increase in hurricane activity is due to several factors, including near-record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic, La Nina conditions in the Pacific, weaker Atlantic trade winds, and less wind shear.
An active West African monsoon may also contribute to stronger and longer-lasting storms. Light trade winds will also give hurricanes time to strengthen and keep ocean temps from cooling down.

For the first time, daily marijuana use in the U.S. has surpassed daily alcohol consumption, according to a recent study.

The study, led by Carnegie Mellon professor Jonathan Caulkins, found that from 2008 to 2022, daily or near-daily marijuana use increased by 269%, while daily alcohol use decreased by 7%.
Daily marijuana use surged in 2022, outpacing daily alcohol consumption. While alcohol remains more popular overall, frequent marijuana use is now more common than frequent drinking. Typical marijuana users reported using it 15-16 days per month in 2022, compared to just 4-5 days for the average drinker.
This trend is partly due to alcohol being viewed as increasingly unhealthy, especially among young adults. As of now, 74% of Americans live in states where marijuana is legal for medical or recreational use, with 54% in states where recreational use is allowed.
Marijuana consumption trends from 1979 to 2022 have aligned with policies either restricting or expanding its use. For example, stricter policies during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations led to a decline in marijuana use.

While renovating his wine cellar, an Austrian man named Andreas Pernerstorfer discovered a rare collection of mammoth bones dating back approximately 40,000 years. The find is one of the most significant mammoth fossil discoveries in Austria in over a century. The Austrian Archeological Institute reported that the bones likely belonged to at least three different mammoths. (More)

Democratic political consultant Steve Kramer faces a $6 million fine and criminal charges in New Hampshire for designing a robocall that used AI to impersonate President Biden. The call, sent before the January primary, discouraged Democrats from voting. Kramer admitted to creating the call and is charged with voter suppression and impersonating a candidate. (More)

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that South Carolina's Republican lawmakers did nothing wrong when they moved 30,000 Democratic-leaning Black residents out of Rep. Nancy Mace's district. They disagreed with a lower court that said the district was unfair to Black voters. (More)

This week, the average 30-year mortgage rate fell to just below 7% for the first time since mid-April, dropping to 6.94% from 7.02%, according to Freddie Mac. A year ago, the rate was 6.57%. This marks the third straight weekly decline, following five weeks of increases. (More)

Spotify's Car Thing device, launched in 2022 to provide steaming music for cars without infotainment systems, will stop working after December 9th, 2024. Despite promises to support existing devices, Spotify is discontinuing services for the product and no refunds will be given. (More)

Apple Music’s 100 best albums of all time.

Should you park under an overpass during a tornado?

Nvidia tops list of best 100 companies based on reputation.

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