Episode Details

Hey friends! This week, we talk two big policy issues: sports betting and the legalization of marijuana. We explain that while sports betting is becoming a bigger and bigger industry, addiction and negative societal implications that come with it are also becoming a bigger problem. We also connect the issue of sports gambling to some ideas we have about marijuana legalization (not to be confused with decriminalization) and how when we make big legal changes, we need to be ready to cope with the negative effects of these decisions.

Here are the various articles and studies we referenced in the episode:

The Atlantic's article on Apple's new Sports app

New Republic's article, "Our Entire Society Is Becoming Addicted to Sports Gambling"

Mayo Clinic's sports gambling guidance

NBC News article on gambling addiction hotlines

Ross Douthat's "Legalizing Marijuana Is a Big Mistake"

Kurt Streeter's "The Rising Human Cost of Sports Betting"

Politico's article "Broken promises: How marijuana legalization failed communities hit hardest by the drug war"

University at Buffalo's study on gambling and socioeconomic status

Connecticut's study on sports gambling

Sen. Blumenthal's March Madness call to action

Baylor University study on the social costs of gambling

2023 research working paper, "Economic Benefits and Social Costs of Legalizing Recreational Marijuana"

CNN article on marijuana use and traffic accidents

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