In its quest to cover its bases against all scenarios, bureaucracy has often forced its employees to do seemingly crazy things. For instance, a 66-year-old Scottish man who wanted to donate blood was turned away after he refused to answer if he was currently pregnant. It’s not good to take blood from a pregnant person, you see. It’s possible for people to identify as a gender different from their sex, so employees are told to ask this question on the off-chance that a pregnant man did want to donate blood. Read full article here
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
