Today’s Big Story

America’s Marijuana Use

The drug, legal in much of the country, is widely seen as nonaddictive and safe. But that’s not always true.

Weed feels so widespread these days, right? As of 2024, marijuana is legal for recreational use in 24 states plus the District of Columbia. The Department of Health and Human Services has recommended a less strict classification and any marijuana product with less than 0.3% is technically legal at the federal level in the U.S.

And with that, acceptance of the drug has ballooned: An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (88%) say either that marijuana should be legal for medical use only (32%) or that it should be legal for medical and recreational use (57%). CBS News found that Americans don't just think marijuana use should be legal—they also now think using it out in the open is socially acceptable, and most won't judge others for doing so or feel that they'd be judged themselves.

But just because you can now buy it out in the open, in a slew of different forms—from pre-rolled joints to chewy, sweet candies and snacks—that doesn’t guarantee that it’s safe to use. Because as marijuana legalization has accelerated across the country, doctors are contending with the effects of an explosion in the use of the drug and its intensity. A $33 billion industry has taken root, turning out an ever-expanding range of cannabis products so intoxicating they bear little resemblance to the marijuana available a generation ago. Tens of millions of Americans use the drug, for medical or recreational purposes—most of them without problems.

But with more people consuming more potent cannabis more often, a growing number, mostly chronic users, are enduring serious health consequences. According to the New York Times, the accumulating harm is broader and more severe than previously reported. And gaps in state regulations, limited public health messaging and federal restraints on research have left many consumers, government officials and even medical practitioners in the dark about such outcomes.

From Washington State to West Virginia, psychiatrists treat rising numbers of people whose use of the drug has brought on delusions, paranoia and other symptoms of psychosis. And in the emergency departments of small community hospitals and large academic medical centers alike, physicians encounter patients with severe vomiting induced by the drug—a potentially devastating condition that once was rare but now, they say, is common. Weed and THC-products contaminated with arsenic, lead or mold is causing serious, even life-threatening illnesses around the country as first-time cannabis users keep experimenting. Apparently, contamination is a particular concern for marijuana products because the plant is a bioaccumulator. That means it absorbs heavy metals in the soil and compounds such as pesticides sprayed on the plant, as well as fungal spores, including mold, that might be spread by air and water, especially during harvesting. Who knew?

A War With No End in Sight

Hopes for peace have been shredded by a spiraling conflict

In the dark days after the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel and the ensuing military assault on Gaza, some dared hope the carnage could, in some way, become a catalyst for peace. “Crises can create opportunities,” veteran Israeli peace negotiator Yossi Beilin told NBC News last year. The world had given up on the Israel-Palestinian question, he said, but the horror of Oct. 7 and its aftermath “changed everything,” provoking a worldwide cry that this should never happen again.

One year later, those glimmers of hope have been shredded. Israelis remain enraged and deeply shaken, with families of Hamas’ remaining hostages suffering the gut-wrenching anguish of not knowing if their loved ones are even alive. The people of Gaza, meanwhile, have endured an unmitigated humanitarian catastrophe as Israel carries out one of the most intensive bombing campaigns in history. It has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, many of them women and children, and reduced much of the strip to ash and rubble.

Filippo Grandi, the U.N. refugee agency chief, told reporters in Beirut on Sunday that Israel has carried out many “egregious” violations of international humanitarian law since it escalated its attacks on Lebanon. “We need respect for civilian infrastructure and civilian population,” Grandi said in a news conference. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued fighting on both those fronts overnight, with the Israel Defense Forces announcing that it hit targets linked to Hezbollah in Beirut and saying it thwarted “an immediate threat” from Hamas in Gaza.

Another Hurricane?!

Milton becomes a hurricane and is expected to strengthen as Floridians still reel from Helene

Ten days after the Southeast was wracked by Helene, one the deadliest storms in modern history, the National Weather Service today forecast that newly-formed Hurricane Milton is headed toward central Florida and could impact the entire state. It’s forecast by the National Hurricane Center to continue rapidly intensifying, probably into at least a Category 4 hurricane by Tuesday, before slamming the west coast of Florida as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday.

National Hurricane Center sources tell the Washington Post that it’s unusual for hurricanes to approach Florida from due west; that, coupled with conflicting details from computer models, makes for a tricky forecast. At this point, even a small shift in track could make a difference. But across South Florida, something called a predecessor rain event—an influx of tropical moisture that comes ahead of a named storm—is already bringing heavy rains. Flooding is possible from a widespread five to 10 inches of rain, leading to a multifaceted flood threat.

Miami, Orlando and Tampa are each forecast to receive four to eight inches of rain through Thursday. That would be the equivalent of an entire month’s worth of rain for Miami, two months’ worth of rain for Orlando and three months’ worth of rain for Tampa. Some areas of the state could see more than 15 inches of rainfall, according to the hurricane center. Sadly, Milton is likely to test FEMA’s limits, as well as state agencies, to respond to back-to-back disasters.

Watch Out for New Travel Advisories

The State Department says you need to read the following advisories before you book

Making winter travel plans? Have you checked to see what the State Dept. says about your destination? Thrillist says “a simple Google search can go a long way, especially when it comes to government-issued travel advisories.”

While it might not seem like it, at any given time, many countries worldwide have warnings in place for American travelers. Among these, the government recently reissued a Level 2 travel advisory for Italy. Travelers are encouraged to “exercise increased caution due to terrorism,” reads the advisory. “Terrorist attacks are possible in Italy,” it continues. “Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They may target tourist spots, transport hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of religious importance, parks, major sporting and cultural events, schools, airports, and other public areas.”

Of course, it’s not just for Americans. Due to recent tensions in the Middle East, Britain’s Foreign Office has issued updated travel warnings for more than 20 destinations, including some of the most popular vacation spots for travelers. As of September 29, these warnings come in response to escalating hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, and they now extend to countries such as Dubai, Egypt, and France, along with others in the surrounding region.

Your October Reading List

From a culinary adventure tale to an exploration of our collective love of Zillow

It's officially fall, so it's time to get back to books. They don't have to be boring or even serious. How about a deep dive into the wildest real estate listings on Zillow? Or an epic adventure tale hunting out wild cacao beans for the best chocolate you'll ever taste? October is a great month for new literary discoveries and these are just a few of the ones we think you should consider.

Get a little better every day.