Our Latest Updates – Archive

The new law will go into effect on Aug. 1, 2019 and will allow adult terminally-ill New Jersey residents with fewer than six months to live to self-administer life-ending medication.

Read pros and cons from the Minnesota Department of Public Health (pro), the FDA (con), the Institute of Medicine (pro), the American Medical Association (con), and more.

29 states have a minimum wage higher than the federal rate of $7.25 an hour, while two states are lower than that. The highest hourly minimum wage is $12, in California, Massachusetts, and Washington. Find where your state falls in this updated resource.

See both sides of the debate with quotes from Colorado district attorney George Brauchler (pro), Sen. Kamala Harris (con), President Donald Trump (pro), California Gov. Gavin Newsom (con), and more.

With measles outbreaks in several states and schools being sued for barring unvaccinated students, the debate over vaccines for children is in the news. Explore pro and con quotes from experts such as global health professor Saad Omer, PhD (pro), US Rep. Rand Paul, MD (con), physician Kristen A. Feemster, MD (pro), and the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (con).

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Mar. 13, 2019, placing a moratorium on the death penalty, granting reprieves to 737 death row inmates, closing the San Quentin execution chamber, and stopping the state from creating a constitutional lethal injection protocol.

All 50 states and DC allow the concealed carry of firearms. 34 states require permits and have “may issue” or “shall issue” permit laws, 15 states have constitutional carry laws but will also issue permits upon request, and Vermont has constitutional carry but does not issue permits.

Explore which states have the death penalty and which have bans, along with information such as which states have moratoriums or court-ordered stays on the use of capital punishment.

Bridge players are subject to World Anti-Doping Agency rules because the World Bridge Federation is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

Many popular OTC drugs such as Advil, NyQuil, and Nexium were once prescription drugs. Learn about 96 drug ingredients and their respective brand names that have made the move from prescription to OTC.

Of 135 countries, representing 95.79% of the world’s population, 15.48% require a prescription for birth control pills. Explore which countries require a prescription, which require a health screening but no prescription, and which have formal or informal OTC policies.

Prescription opioid deaths were five times higher in 2017 than in 1999, according to the CDC. Explore the pros and cons of using medical marijuana as an alternative to opioids, with quotes from orthopedic surgeon Frank D’Ambrosio (pro), Stanford University School of Medicine professor Keith Humphreys (con), former Drug Policy Alliance Manager of Marijuana Law and Policy Amanda Reiman (pro), Medical Director at Caron Treatment Centers Joseph Garbely (con), and more.

Our new topic explores the pros and cons in the debate over making birth control pills available over-the-counter (OTC). 9.1 million women (12.6% of contraceptive users) use birth control pills, which are the second-most commonly used method of contraception in the United States. Proponents say making the birth control pill available over-the-counter would lower teen pregnancy rates, provide contraceptive access to medically underserved women, and ease access to a health-improving drug with decades of safe use. Opponents say making the Pill over-the-counter would raise the cost of contraception for women, pose a danger to teens’ and women’s health by removing the doctor’s visit requirement, and limit what options are made available.

Our new website presents the top pro & con arguments and quotes, a history of the debate, a video gallery, the prescription status of birth control pills around the world, and a list of drugs switched from prescription to OTC status.

Proponents of the right to health care say that no one in one of the richest nations on earth should go without health care, and argue a right to health care would stop medical bankruptcies, improve public health, and reduce overall health care spending. Opponents argue that a right to health care amounts to socialism, and say that government control of health care would decrease its quality and availability, lead to larger government debt and deficits, and raise taxes. Explore our updated pro and con arguments and decide for yourself.

All 50 states and DC allow the concealed carry of firearms. Ten states allow concealed carry without a permit, eight states have some discretion in approving permit applications, and the rest issue permits to all applicants who meet the requirements.