Of the two types of cinnamon, the Sri Lankan “Ceylon cinnamon” is more expensive thanks to its laborious harvesting process. It takes four years for a cinnamon tree to reach a harvestable state. Its branches are cut down, soaked, and its outermost bark layer removed. Then, workers toil for hours to peel off the inner bark, taking great care to make the quills as thin as possible. The thinner the quills, the higher their value, with the most expensive grade being Alba, measuring only 6mm wide.
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Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
