Free speech
This is not a political newsletter. However, sometimes political polls reveal information that is core to Judex. That is the case with a recent FIRE/NORC poll finding that 63% of Americans rate free speech as “very important” to their vote in the upcoming election. Roughly 90% of both Republicans and Democrats rate free speech as at least “somewhat important.” Of course, this does not mean everyone is seeing the free speech issue the same way. It is encouraging, though, that this fundamental American value is on the minds of voters at this important time.
Crime
Speaking of elections, the Florida ballot next week will contain a referendum on legalizing recreational marijuana in the state. Recently, the Florida Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Lapado, released a document outlining the risks to young people of marijuana use. First, he points out that marijuana legalization leads to increased use among young people. Next, the Surgeon General’s release shows that “adolescents who use marijuana long term are at risk for an average decrease of eight IQ points.” The document also notes the studies showing marijuana use makes a young person eleven times more likely to develop psychotic disorders. Finally, the Surgeon General points out the risk of accidental exposure to other children from having more marijuana and marijuana edibles lying around. Calls to poison control centers have increased by 150% in states that have legalized marijuana. You can read the report here.
More crime
A 2021 article in the academic journal, Lancet, reviewed 29 randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies of programs within prisons that hope to reduce re-offending once inmates are released. The authors looked only at RCTs, which are the gold standard in research. They threw out any study demonstrating publication bias or flawed methodology, leaving only the best designed, most accurate studies. After doing so, they found that “there was no significant reduction in recidivism.” No prison-based treatment programs work to reduce recidivism, according the the best available research. You can read the study here.
Still more crime
You may have read my posts about England’s Great Chicken Rebellion recently. On the off chance you missed them, you can catch up here. We now have more wild news from across the pond.
Last week, someone stole almost fifty thousand pounds of cheese from Neal’s Yard Dairy, a London-based artisanal cheese distributor. That’s 950 cheese wheels. $400,000 worth of cheese. They’re calling it, “The Grate Cheese Heist.”
Apparently, someone pretended, in a sophisticated way, to be a major French retailer and ordered a whole bunch of cheese from Neal’s. It was delivered before the fraud was detected and, of course, the cheese distributor was never paid. And this wasn’t just any cheese. The haul included award-winning Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork cheddar. Those responsible are still at large. British authorities are asking for help. Tom Calver, the victimized cheese distributor, asks, “If you do see or know of anybody over in Europe or around the world that there’s some clothbound raw milk cheddar that’s going cheap, then just can you let us know?”
Like pretty much everyone else, I love cheese, but have limited knowledge of high end cheeses. I will spring for the Deli Deluxe American cheese slices at the WalMart now and then. But, if I spot a clothbound wheel of cheddar going for cheap, I’ll know exactly where it came from, and will certainly reach out Tom. I hope you’ll do the same.
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