Hemp BANNED, Diddy's Prison Wine, High Drivers, and Who's Bribing Mitch McConnell?

Описание: This week, Mike and Bret are breaking down the shock waves from the new hemp-derived THC ban, the wild side of drinking culture, and the latest in political and corporate shenanigans.

In a major piece of astoundingly under-covered news: the US federal government has officially made hemp-derived THC and CBD - basically any hemp-derived compound - illegal. The industry now has a 365-day window to either get this stuff legalized or it's gone forever. The legislation threatens the small businesses that have been flourishing nationwide , especially craft breweries relying on hemp drinks as a lifeline. This also severely impacts farmers, particularly those who transitioned from tobacco to hemp.

There's speculation that the legislation primarily benefits large lobbyists like Pepsi and Coke and is connected to substantial contributions (over $2 million) made by the Kentucky Liquor Coalition to Mitch McConnell's PAC and nonprofit.

Next we talk about Turbo Guinness: Forget splitting the G; now it's all about Ganster (Guinness mixed with Nitro Monster Energy Drink) or Turbo Guinness (Guinness with a shot or two of espresso) , which is currently trending on TikTok.

Diddy's Prison Wine: Rapper Diddy, who claimed his bad behavior was due to drugs and alcohol, was caught drinking prison wine made from water, apple juice, Fanta, and sugar, fermented in a toilet.

Movie Theater Booze: AMC Theaters is leaning into selling alcohol by rolling out large 24-fluid ounce cocktails for $16 to $25 nationwide. Perhaps a return to intermission to sell more drinks and food is in order.

Kratom Lawsuit Win: In a surprising victory, a lawsuit against a Kratom seltzer maker alleging deceptive marketing was dismissed. The dismissal was due to a bizarre error in the complaint where the plaintiff alleged addiction before the drink was made.

High Driving Dangers: Data from Montgomery County, Ohio, shows that 42% of all traffic fatalities involved a driver with 30 nanograms/mL of active THC or more , which is 6x the impairment level. The hosts criticize the lack of negative stigma and enforcement around driving high.

The Lobbyist Loophole: A provision in the Farm Bill tasks the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine with providing the sole recommendations for alcohol regulation in the updated Dietary American Guidelines, raising concerns that the process is now open to bribery from the powerful alcohol lobby.

A new paper from the University of Oslo in Norway suggests that episodes of heavy drinking in youth may aid in career success into adulthood. The hosts debate the finding, suggesting it's likely a correlation and not a cause, perhaps related to higher sociability and risk-taking.