Get your own cannabis

Sure, marijuana might be illegal in Georgia, but there’s a way you can score some: exercise. And no, not in the “run to North Carolina” sense.

Apparently, found UK researchers working with patients with arthritis, exercise “increased levels of cannabis-like substances produced by their own bodies, called endocannabinoids.” Those cannabinoids reduced both pain and inflammation, and they even helped gut bacteria produce more anti-inflammatory compounds.

Another big win (and a loss for PBMs)

Take a moment to shed some crocodile tears for pharmacy benefits managers, which just lost another big case in a big court. Done? Good. Here’s the deal in a nutshell:

North Dakota had a law* that regulated PBMs. The PBMs’ trade association, PCMA, sued the state claiming that the federal ERISA retirement law preempted that North Dakota law. Eventually, the Eighth Circuit sided with the PBMs.

Hold that thought.

A similar case involving Arkansas and its PBM regulations (Rutledge v PCMA) made it to the Supreme Court. SCOTUS sided with Arkansas, saying no, ERISA didn’t come into play. And SCOTUS also remanded the North Dakota law back to the Eighth Circuit: ‘Ahem. Are you SURE that’s how you want to rule on this?’

On Wednesday, the Eighth Circuit took the hint and reversed itself (in PCMA v Wehbi) and said Why yes, the state can regulate PBMs.

* Doo-dah, doo-dah
** Very much oversimplifying here — sorry!

Just so you know

There is currently a second case of monkeypox in the U.S. That is all.

The eyes have it too

Losing your sense of smell due to Covid-19 is so 2020. It turns out that SARS-CoV-2 also infects the eyes and ears (or at least the nerves that connect them to the brain). And, while it may not be as common…

More than 10 percent of people who get Covid develop some type of eye or ear symptom, according to the latest data, and both categories are among the complaints that can end up persisting for a long time.

This means the first sign of infection “might include irritated eyes, hearing problems or balance issues.” Yay!

Speaking of loss of sense of smell

A new analysis finds that “more than 700 000, and possibly as many as 1.6 million, US individuals experience COD [chronic olfactory dysfunction] because of SARS-CoV-2.” Note the chronic part — that is not counting the many people who regain their sense of smell within six months. These are folks with a potential “lifelong burden of olfactory dysfunction.”

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to … purpose?

If you feel like your life has lost its meaning, find people to hate. That’s people, plural. Research out of Canada’s University of Waterloo found that hating a group, not an individual, “can bolster meaning in life.”

Collective hatred is aimed toward groups, social phenomena or institutions, and may be more likely to inspire a sense of purpose in life that transcends the negative experiences associated with personal vendettas.

What could go wrong?

Might as well face it, you’re addicted to fries

“Foods high in added fats and refined carbs are like cigarettes – addictive and unhealthy” explains a University of Michigan psychologist. And she means that literally.

Based on our current estimates, 15% of Americans meet the threshold for food addiction, which is associated with diet-related disease, obesity and poorer quality of life.

Interestingly, that’s about the same percentage of the population with alcohol abuse disorders.