Interesting juxtaposition of rising stories on HN at the moment: America has both a tungsten problem and a marijuana problem.
What are the "growing harms" the article mentions them flippantly. "Nearly 2.8M" comes from an estimate of 2.75 million and a qualifier that the exact number is unknown. 1) Most young men with CHS just quit or switch to a different strain and symptoms leave. There is no evidence provided in the article that "many people end up worse off after taking marijuana".
2) Cars are the problem, not pedestrians and not drivers. It's Time for America to Admit That It Has a Car Problem. Poor, car-centric infrastructure and increasing vehicle size.
3) There are an estimated 117,000 alcohol deaths in the US each year. Nothing to do with cars, that's just the damage from putting it in your body. And no, unlike the article says, there is no safe limit for alcohol consumption
Then the article goes completely off the rails claiming that Oreos are "snacks for children". There is a clear difference between the way snacks where advertised to children 30 years ago and a company using that same advertising now. Cannabis use has remained stable among adolescence since the 2000s. Growth has been driven by college-age and older. It also downplays the harm companies kraft, through Nabisco do to actual youngins.
Alcohol and sugar/cereals/sodas are leagues more socially harmful (obesity deaths 300,000 per year). But this article treats them like no big deal, or that they are properly regulated. None are, in America, for better or worse, it's up to you to learn the risks and free yourself from mis/disinformation. But Time publishing noise makes it difficult.
Whether you want to use alcohol, sugar or THC. It's not the Times nor governments business to decide if you are "worse off" for it. This is the kind of scope creep that kills most countries.
We have an alcohol problem, masquerading as normal
NYT Pitchbot: After his third lunch martini to take the edge of Adderal jitters, a New York Times columnist realizes America has a marijauna problem.