Indonesia’s Drinking Problem
In the wake of a crackdown on black-market alcohol in Indonesia, the country’s sole legal alcohol importer is suddenly faced with meeting demand four times higher than what the government’s…
In the wake of a crackdown on black-market alcohol in Indonesia, the country’s sole legal alcohol importer is suddenly faced with meeting demand four times higher than what the government’s…
…the academy. By comparison, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that 83% of college students nationwide drink, and that 41% of college students reported consuming five…
When you need a ride to the hospital, who should you call? Bapu talks with economist David Slusky about how ridesharing services are increasingly replacing ambulances. Plus, an unexpected reason…
…on how much these medical marijuana clubs charge. I wouldn’t think it would be very expensive; marijuana on the street is as cheap as can be. Can someone explain to…
Game theorist Barry Nalebuff explains how he used basic economics to build Honest Tea into a multimillion-dollar business, and shares his innovative approach to negotiation.
…with. This indicates that there is no safe level of alcohol for drivers: any amount of alcohol markedly increases the risk to drivers and their passengers. We reached this conclusion…
Liberals, according to a new paper in the Journal of Wine Economics by Pavel A. Yakovlev and Walter P. Guessford of Duquesne University. The paper, “Alcohol Consumption and Political Ideology:…
Binge drinking is a big problem at college football games. Oliver Luck — father of No. 1 N.F.L. pick Andrew, and the athletic director at West Virginia University — had…
…of the stuff because they wanted the alcohol content. But, as the article informs us, the alcohol in Purell is “not the same kind as found in beverages.” “Evidently,” the…
…marijuana use and psychosis. According to Zammit’s conclusion, “even infrequent use” of marijuana could raise the risk of developing psychosis by up to 40%. Although as reader Andrew Heck pointed…
No one wants mass shootings. Unfortunately, no one has a workable plan to stop them either.
Covid-19 has shocked our food-supply system like nothing in modern history. We examine the winners, the losers, the unintended consequences — and just how much toilet paper one household really…
…(anywhere) generally feature the same bottles of alcohol — the iconic brands, Bacardi, Seagrams, etc. And these major brands, especially for whiskey, rum, and gin, seem to have changed little…
…contribute slightly more to Social Security, through their higher average lifetime earnings, than nondrinkers do. What’s more, since alcohol abusers tend to die sooner than moderate or nondrinkers, they draw…
There are more than twice as many suicides as murders in the U.S., but suicide attracts far less scrutiny. Freakonomics Radio digs through the numbers and finds all kinds of…
There are more than twice as many suicides as murders in the U.S., but suicide attracts far less scrutiny. Freakonomics Radio digs through the numbers and finds all kinds of…
…be seen as the fifth sin tax, next to taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, gasoline and fat/sugar. And he’s not just talking about taxing certain aspects of college football; he’s talking…
It’s time to do away with feel-good stories, gut hunches, and magical thinking.
There are more than twice as many suicides as murders in the U.S., but suicide attracts far less scrutiny. Freakonomics Radio digs through the numbers and finds all kinds of…
If you are driving and kill a pedestrian, there’s a good chance you’ll barely be punished. Why?
If you are driving and kill a pedestrian, there’s a good chance you’ll barely be punished. Why?
By day, two leaders of Britain’s famous Nudge Unit use behavioral tricks to make better government policy. By night, they repurpose those tricks to improve their personal lives. They want…
…for a five-day dragnet aimed at drug trafficking. This year officers made 18 felony arrests, netting $215,000 of seized cash, 11 pounds of cocaine, and eight pounds of marijuana. “The…
NPR had a story about the rising average cost of growing marijuana in Humboldt County, Calif., a center of the industry. Costs are rising for two reasons: 1) Much pot-growing…
…shop and the stench of marijuana nearly knocks you over, does that make you more or less likely to purchase surfing lessons there? What do you say, readers? I have…
What happens when tens of millions of fantasy-sports players are suddenly able to bet real money on real games? We’re about to find out. A recent Supreme Court decision has…
In this episode, we speculate what would happen if economists got to run the world. Hear from a high-end call girl; an Estonian who ran his country according to the…
Also: What’s a food you love that seems disgusting to everyone else?…
What happens when tens of millions of fantasy-sports players are suddenly able to bet real money on real games? We’re about to find out. A recent Supreme Court decision has…
