On this episode: Zak sits down with Dr. Nicole Schultz of UC Davis to talk about teens and marijuana. It’s a different world than when we were growing up — so we have Dr. Schultz share her understanding of why and how teens are using cannabis. Elizabeth, Lucy and Jamilah also share a round of recommendations — and then, for Slate Plus, our mom-hosts circle up to talk about how they remember being talked to about drugs… and whether DARE worked on, well, anyone. Elizabeth recommends: iHome Slim US...
Apr 22, 2024•30 min
On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice answer listener questions about the rapid rise of Donghua Jinlong, a Chinese company that manufactures glycine. Over the past few weeks, paradoxically deadpan and impassioned videos about the high quality of Donghua Jinlong’s products have taken over TikTok. Are teens actually consuming industrial grade chemicals? Or is something even weirder happening? This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton. Lea...
Apr 20, 2024•47 min
In this episode, Bassey Ikpi (New York Times bestselling essay collection, I’m Telling the Truth but I’m Lying ) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about an international sisters’ trip gone awry, a husband’s struggle to live with his wife’s mental health issues, and an uncomfortable situation between coworkers. If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members. Go to Slate.com/...
Apr 19, 2024•36 min
On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Jamilah answer questions from our Slate Parenting Facebook group about using marijuana as a mom. As 4/20 approaches, we decided there was no better time to tackle big-picture questions about substance use… and practical stuff too, like where to hide your stash with kids in the house. We’ll also debrief with a round of triumphs and fails — including two different, unrelated fails involving birds. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com ...
Apr 18, 2024•43 min
Man-made per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are found in all sorts of industrial and consumer products, including carpets, rain jackets, and makeup. They’re also in our drinking water—and in our blood. The EPA has recently announced plans to regulate the amount of certain PFAS in our water supply. But will these rules do enough to control chemicals for which there is no safe level of exposure? Guest: Esme Deprez , independent investigative journalist. Want more What Next? Subscr...
Apr 18, 2024•29 min
April is Autism Acceptance Month, and how we’ve come to understand autism has evolved over the past several decades. For years, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was thought of as something that needed to be cured. Through better data and years of activism, that misunderstanding is changing. On this week’s episode of Well, Now we discuss that evolution with Sara Luterman , caregiving reporter for The 19th. Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry and Ahyiana Angel with editorial oversight by Alicia ...
Apr 17, 2024•41 min
How will impending abortion restrictions in Florida and Arizona impact votes this fall? Guests: Anna Hochkammer , executive director of the Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition . Grace Panetta , political reporter for The 19th . Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to...
Apr 17, 2024•28 min
On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: blaze it. Ahead of the honorary stoner holiday that is 4/20, we’re taking a look at the marijuana landscape. Public opinion has warmed considerably to legal weed in the past few decades – both medicinal and recreational – even though it remains a Schedule 1 drug on the federal level. But some public health experts are still sounding the alarm, because this has all happened very quickly… and though hard-line illegality was harmful, what we’re doing now might be ...
Apr 16, 2024•37 min
Patric Gagne says being a sociopath is like having an emotional learning disability. In this episode, she talks about the good and the bad of having limited access to shame and guilt, how she overcame violent compulsions, and becoming a wife and mother. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus ! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on ...
Apr 16, 2024•47 min
How the semi-legalization of marijuana has drawn a road map for legalizing psychedelics—and also provided a list of pitfalls to be avoided. Guest: Jane C. Hu , science journalist and author of the newsletter The Microdose. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get a...
Apr 14, 2024•27 min
Get your tickets for Amicus Live in Washington DC on May 14th here. We shouldn’t be surprised that we have to keep saying it, but here we are: the Supreme Court (notably trained as lawyers) will soon make decisions about how doctors (notably trained as doctors) can treat pregnant patients in the emergency room. Moyle v. United States - consolidated with Idaho v. United States - is the result of an Idaho lawsuit challenging EMTALA, a federal law requiring hospitals to do whatever they can to stab...
Apr 13, 2024•1 hr 9 min
As we approach the warmer months and start spending more time outside, healthy skin couldn’t be more important. So how can we best protect our body’s largest organ? Feel free to stock up on all the products for a 10-step routine if you want. But the reality is healthy skin requires just three products. The rest is kind of BS. This week on Well, Now we talk all things skin health with Dr. Adarsh Vijay Mudgil , a dermatologist and dermatopathologist based in New York City. If you liked this episod...
Apr 10, 2024•39 min
When musician Johnny Solomon hit rock bottom, he turned to his mom for help. Then, as his mother’s health declined, he and his wife (and bandmate) Molly moved in with her to lend a hand. But caring for Johnny’s mother meant that their music careers were put on hold. We first talked to Johnny, Molly, and his mom Nancy in 2018. This week, we revisit that conversation and get a fresh update from Johnny. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign u...
Apr 09, 2024•35 min
Spring is a time for fresh starts. For a lot of us, that means spring cleaning. But don’t worry, we’re not talking about the whole house. This week, the Well, Now team is spring cleaning our medicine cabinets. What are some medicinal must-haves, and what things should we definitely toss? Joining us to help tidy up is Dr. Mauricio Gonzalez , a board-certified physician in internal, emergency and obesity medicine. If you liked this episode, check out: What “Wellness” Is and Isn’t Podcast productio...
Apr 03, 2024•40 min
Democrat Marilyn Lands will be sworn in to the Alabama House of Representatives this week, having won a special election in the deep-red state by 25 points. How did Lands do it—and what can the national Democrats learn from her victory? Guest: Marilyn Lands, Alabama lawmaker who won a special election for the state’s House of Representatives. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscri...
Apr 02, 2024•25 min
In 2021, we talked to a listener that we’re calling Tessa, who found themselves in $19,000 worth of credit card debt. When Tessa’s sister offered to pay a huge chunk of the debt, new problems arose. First, the offer didn’t bring instant peace-of-mind. Second, it wasn’t clear if paying off the debt right away was even the best solution. This week, we revisit the conversation with Tessa and her sister and reflect on what they learned about debt, family, and mental health. If you're struggling with...
Apr 02, 2024•46 min
For this edition of Money Talks: Are you feeling trapped in Zoom/Teams/Slack purgatory? Author Cal Newport’s book Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout has a way forward. Host Emily Peck speaks with him about how the digital office became an “invisible factory” and how you can take back control of your working life. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional discu...
Apr 02, 2024•39 min
Eating disorders are one of the most deadly psychiatric disorders. But for decades, much of the criteria to diagnose one applied only to cisgender girls and those assigned female at birth – like a loss of menstruation. This meant that many cisgender boys and those assigned male at birth fell through the cracks. On this week’s episode of Well, Now: The rise in eating disorders among boys and men with Dr. Jason Nagata , Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California San Francisc...
Mar 27, 2024•39 min
On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: getting the jab. Vaccine hesitancy is not a new phenomenon in the United States, but it is a growing one… particularly in conservative Evangelical circles. At the same time, there’s a lot for all of us to dislike, and distrust, about the American healthcare system. So, for those of us who have a hard time working up any sympathy for the vaccine-skeptical crowd, it’s worth asking: what if this is a symptom of the problems we’re all experiencing? Johanna Richlin ...
Mar 26, 2024•36 min
Well, it happened again. The hIgHeSt CoUrT will hear arguments Tuesday in a case based on made up facts! This time it’s mifepristone, the abortion drug at the center of Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v FDA . The claim was that the FDA approval process (three decades ago), for mifepristone, one of two medication abortion drugs, was haphazard and slapdash.. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine also argued that the FDA’s 2021 decision to allow telemedicine abortion and mailing of abortion pills vio...
Mar 23, 2024•58 min
Experts say domestic violence tends to start or intensify during pregnancy. But since the overturn of Roe v. Wade , terminating a pregnancy—or even advising or helping someone to terminate a pregnancy—has been criminalized in several states which can leave survivors of domestic violence unable to separate from an abusive partner. Guest: Julianne McShane , writer at Mother Jones covering the intersection of gender and inequity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 21, 2024•25 min
While most of the world moves on from Covid-19, millions of Americans remain in limbo: Those living with Long Covid. Long Covid symptoms are vast and can impact all parts of the body: from gastrointestinal tract issues and fatigue to autoimmune inflammation and cognitive impairment. On this week’s episode of Well, Now – Kavita and Maya talk with Dr. Wes Ely , an ICU physician based in Nashville, Tenn. As the co-director of the Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction and Survivorship Center , he is o...
Mar 20, 2024•36 min
On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: talk it out. Talking about therapy isn’t taboo anymore — and that’s great, because everyone deserves help when they need it. The question is… do you really need it? Dr. Richard Friedman of Weill Cornell Medicine wrote a piece for The Atlantic last month, headlined ”Plenty of People Could Quit Therapy Right Now.” So why is that the case… and what are the consequences of getting therapy when you don’t need it? Dr. Friedman joins us to discuss. If you have thought...
Mar 19, 2024•45 min
Forgetfulness. Repetitiveness. Confusion. Dementia is a long, painful road for both the person living with it, caregivers, and their additional loved ones. Mara’s mom just received her diagnosis and Mara is wondering what is next for their family. She turned to our host Courtney Martin for guidance—since Courtney is going through the same thing with her father. On this episode of How To!: Courtney and Mara are joined by Tami Anastasia , author of Essential Strategies for the Dementia Caregiver ....
Mar 19, 2024•43 min
Private equity firms have been buying up doctors’ offices and hospitals around the country. But if profits are the primary goal, what happens to the cost and quality of healthcare for patients? Guest: Gretchen Morgenson , senior financial reporter for the NBC News Investigative Unit and co-author of “These Are the Plunderers: How Private Equity Runs—and Wrecks—America” Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite...
Mar 17, 2024•30 min
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization named Covid-19 a pandemic, and public health around the globe changed forever. Countries shut down their borders, businesses closed and furloughed workers, and millions of students went to remote learning. Two years in, more than one million Americans lost their lives. This week on Well, Now we mark this grim anniversary by talking about what we have and haven’t learned about this world-changing virus with one of the epidemiologists who first bega...
Mar 13, 2024•41 min
It’s impossible to ignore the impact of climate change. Sea levels are rising, and natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires are increasing in strength and number each year. A major contributor to a warming planet is the way we’re processing our food. So on this week’s episode of Well, Now we discuss ways to eat a full, balanced diet while keeping the health of the planet in mind with registered dietitian nutritionist Chris Vogliano . If you liked this episode, check out: Breaking Up With ...
Mar 06, 2024•33 min
Measles happens, but this outbreak in Florida is unfolding in a post-pandemic world where mistrust in public health officials and vaccinations is practically the party line. Guest: Lauren Weber , Washington Post accountability reporter focused on scientific and medical disinformation. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the to...
Mar 04, 2024•27 min
It was a wild week at the High Court (another seven days crammed with a year’s worth of news). SCOTUS heard cases about bump stocks, and how Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito would do as Facebook content moderators. The Supreme Court also finally found the time to put a thumb on the scale for serially indicted alleged insurrector-in-chief former President Donald J Trump. We’ll talk about all those things with Slate’s very own Mark Joseph Stern. But what we’re really focused on this week is the Al...
Mar 02, 2024•1 hr 2 min
The U.S. healthcare system can split the country into two Americas. Your zip code, education, class status and more all play a role in the outcome of your health as well as the kind of care you receive. Fewer markers more clearly define these disparities than race. On this week’s episode of Well, Now Maya and Kavita talk about racism in American healthcare with Dr. Uché Blackstock . Her new book Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine gives a historical view of how racism has a...
Feb 28, 2024•31 min
