Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Is Marijuana Healthy Or Not?; Baby Olivia Video Is Medical Misinformation Aimed At Kids
USA Today: Is It Dangerous To Smoke Weed? What You Need To Know About Using Marijuana.
The push to legalize marijuana at the federal level has gained ground ever since California legalized it for medical use nearly 30 years ago. Recreational marijuana is now permissible in 24 states and Washington, D.C. Only four states still outlaw marijuana with no medical exceptions. (Dr. Phil McGraw and Dr. John Whyte, 4/9)
Also —
USA Today: What Is The Baby Olivia Video? Another Republican Lie About Abortion
Who is "Baby Olivia," and why is she giving students inaccurate information? That's what I had to find out. “Meet Baby Olivia,” a three-minute video produced by the anti-abortion group Live Action, is the foundation of the latest bill that some states are considering to further dissuade people from having the procedure. The bills would have students watch the video in health class. In Tennessee, the legislation is a Senate vote away from landing on the governor’s desk. In Missouri, the bill would require the video be shown by the time students reach third grade. It is also being considered in Iowa and Kentucky. (Sara Pequeño, 4/7)
Vox: Trump’s Abortion Announcement Video Is A Lie
When Texas forces a woman pregnant with a fatally ill fetus to carry it to term — even at the risk of suffering uterine rupture and infertility — that is a consequence of the Trump presidency. When a 10-year-old rape victim in Ohio must travel across state lines to have an abortion, that is a testament to Trump’s legacy. When Alabama disrupts fertility services by declaring that embryos have the same rights as people, those frozen bunches of cells have Trump to thank. (Eric Levitz, 4/8)
The Washington Post: Trump’s Abortion Position Just Made His 2024 Reelection Even Harder
Pro-life groups were urging Trump to support federal legislation, and in recent months it sounded as though Trump might come out in favor of a national 15-week abortion ban. What prompted the change to his new leave-it-to-the-states position? (Eugene Robinson, 4/8)
The New York Times: Anyone Who Thinks Trump Is Done With Abortion Is A Fool
Nearly two-thirds of Americans support legal abortion in most or all cases — the constitutional status quo under Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. To leave abortion rights up to the states is, as we’ve seen since the Supreme Court’s decision two years ago in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, to give state legislatures broad discretion to restrict and limit the bodily autonomy of anyone within their borders. (Jamelle Bouie, 4/9)
