The National Center for Health Statistics reported that more than 107,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2021. More than three‐​quarters of overdose deaths involved opioids. Recent research estimates the number of adults living with opioid use disorder (OUD) ranges from 6.7 million to 7.6 million. These estimates suggest that 1–2 of every 100 U.S. residents has OUD.In the United States, federal and state laws require people with OUD who seek treatment with methadone to travel to government‐​approved opioid treatment programs (OTPs), which limits access to methadone treatment. Increasing access to OUD treatment would reduce the number of people who seek drugs in the dangerous black market and, in turn, reduce the risk and incidence of overdose deaths.Please join our distinguished panel to discuss ways to reform current methadone laws to destigmatize people with OUD, respect their humanity, and improve their access to methadone treatment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the past few years, a new intellectual trend has appeared among America’s Christian conservatives: “post‐​liberalism.” Its pioneers include a handful of Catholic scholars called “integralists”—who want to integrate the state and religion—and other public figures known as “national conservatives.” These post‐​liberals blame some social ills and social change that they see as problematic on the classical liberal tradition that constitutes the very founding principles of the United States: individual liberty, religious freedom, free markets, and separation of church and state. Kevin Vallier will critique post‐​liberals using insights partly drawn from Catholic theology and explain why a reintegration of state and religion is good for neither the state, nor religion, nor liberty. Mustafa Akyol and Mark Tooley will share their thoughts on liberalism from Islamic and Protestant perspectives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Argentina’s chronically undisciplined monetary and fiscal policies have resulted in economic stagnation and recurring debt crises, devaluations, and defaults. This year, the inflation rate has surpassed 100 percent. The leading presidential candidate, Javier Milei, has proposed dollarization as a necessary policy to fix the economy. Economist Emilio Ocampo, Milei’s adviser on dollarization, will explain the need for Argentina to replace the peso with the dollar and discuss how the country can accomplish that goal. He will address issues related to monetary sovereignty, the sufficiency of reserves to carry out the reform, and central bank debt. Manuel Hinds will draw on the successful dollarization of El Salvador that he implemented in 2001 and that of other dollarized countries in the region to provide remarks on the particular case of Argentina. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States has traditionally taken a more permissionless approach to new technologies, allowing entrepreneurs to connect directly with consumers in the market, while Europe has taken a more regulatory approach that requires government approval first.Europe seems to be continuing its more regulatory approach when it comes to AI, but will the United States continue its less regulatory one? What impact might regulations around issues like privacy or content moderation have on the development of AI around the globe? With the EU and UK already acting on AI, is the United States risking losing global policy leadership through its policy inaction?Like many general‐​purpose technologies, we should be hesitant of the rush to regulate AI out of fear or disruption. We also must consider the benefits as well as risks when it comes to new technologies and their accompanying policy framework. How can we take the lessons of the United States’ leadership in technology and technology in the past and apply them to this latest technology? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On July 7, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury released a notice of proposed rulemaking to modify the definition of short‐​term, limited‐​duration insurance. During this policy forum, Michael F. Cannon and Brian Blase will discuss why the proposed rule would adversely impact individuals by eliminating consumer protections, which would throw sick patients out of their health insurance and leave them to face sky‐​high medical bills without insurance for up to a year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A prominent narrative claims that global inequality is increasing as improvements in the standard of living accrue mainly to a small elite, leaving much of the world’s population behind and even worse off than before. But is this true? Chelsea Follett and Vincent Geloso will discuss their work on a new, more comprehensive way of measuring global inequality, the Inequality of Human Progress Index, and their recent findings showing that global inequality is in fact shrinking. They will argue that the evidence demonstrates that the world is not only better off than many people appreciate but that it is also far more equal. Nicholas Eberstadt will provide comments on how to best assess the true state of global inequality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part three of this year’s Summer with Sphere series is all about preparing for the upcoming school year! As you think about how you will set your students up for success from their classroom environment to their curriculum for the year, consider the benefits of implementing strategies that foster civil discourse into your approach. In this webinar, we will equip you with tools and resources that will help you effectively embed healthy habits of conversation into your classroom experience for students through class norm setting, learning environment, and fostering a strong home‐​to‐​school connection at the start of the year. You will hear from Sphere’s Content Development Manager Elyse Alter about engaging interdisciplinary classroom content you can supplement your current curriculum with and Sphere’s Educator Engagement Specialist John Snoad about professional development opportunities available to you and your school with Sphere on the Road Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore the impact of EU and UK tech policies on American companies, including issues of speech, privacy, and competition. Learn about regulations on illegal content, the implications for startups, the news media bargaining code in Australia, EU regulations on charging ports, and the concerns surrounding excessive regulations in the tech industry.

The podcast discusses the lack of evidence-based approaches in healthcare management and the resistance to change in the health sector. Topics include evaluating evidence-based patient care, improving transition of frail patients from hospital to home, inefficiencies of fee-for-service payment, lack of evidence-based practices in healthcare management, impact of clinician licensing on quality of care, and financial incentives for physicians and healthcare decisions.

Examining proposals to use the U.S. military in countering the fentanyl crisis. Exploring the risks and consequences of militarized approaches. Understanding the rise of fentanyl and its connection to drug prohibition. Discussing the prohibition of test strips and the indictment of the Cinaloa cartel. Exploring the challenges and potential consequences of military intervention in the war on drugs. Highlighting the challenges faced by harm reduction centers. Examining the exponential growth of the overdose crisis and changing drug use trends. Exploring the intersections of drug use, prohibition, and the dangers of the black market.