Sparked by the medical community's sudden increase in gender dysphoria in the 1950s, Christine Jorgensen became America's first known individual to complete sex-reassignment surgery in 1952. Following the Stonewall-Inn riots, which were largely trans-led, the gay rights movement grew, (1)
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In a 2022 study, one out of five adolescents surveyed claimed to have received zero sexual education from their parents. Depending on state statutes, these same children are vulnerable to receiving a lack of adequate sexual education in school, as well. With some U.S. states stressing (1), #PADP4200

Officially establishing the right to contraceptive care in the United States in the 1965 Griswold v. Connecticut case, the Supreme Court granted married couples access to contraceptives; with this right later extended to single people in 1972 (Eisenstadt v. Baird). 1
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The implementation of a minor legal drinking age of 21 has led to a lower risk of developing alcohol use disorders, along with opioid abuse, lower rates of suicide and homicide, harmful births, and alcohol poisoning. #PADP4200

While it is illegal under federal law to distill alcohol at home without a permit, some states have passed legislation permitting residents to distill spirits for personal use. These states include Alaska, Arizona, Maine, Massachussetts, Michigan, Missouri, Rhode Island, and Ohio. (1)
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While exemptions make the enforcement of vaccine policy challenging, some measures prove to be substantially effective. Policies such as employer mandates and the covid-era $1,000 cash policy have proven effective, as well as a $1,000 tax on the unvaccinated, also enforced during covid. (1
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The United States’ first instance of vaccination enforcement occurred as a result of the smallpox outbreak, with Edward Jenner’s vaccine first imposed upon enslaved workers. In 1809, Massachusetts passed the country’s first mandate allowing for health boards to require vaccination (1)
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The 2004 Tobacco Control Scoreboard, studying the effectiveness of various policies on tobacco use found that a 10% price increase in cigarette excise taxes resulted in a 3.7% decrease in quantity demanded, reduced prevalence, and reduced quantity of cigarettes consumed. (1)
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The public view on the health effects of cigarette use faced a drastic change during the turn of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A good that was once implemented in military rations was suddenly speculated to be the root cause of a sudden, noticeable increase in lung cancer (1)
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Diversion, which refers to the practice of illegally distributing drugs for purposes other than their intended use, endangers the roughly 70 million members of society reliant on prescription pain medication. Put simply, this issue affects roughly 15-30% of our population. (1)
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Through the implementation of Housing First policies, homelessness and its various effects will face a considerable reduction. A 2004 study found that as individuals were provided affordable housing and access to services, (1)

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A Georgia State University researcher found a correlation between the opioid epidemic and rural homelessness, providing evidence suggesting that the two exacerbate each other. Using data from the Rural Opioid Initiative, surveying over 3,000 people who use drugs in eight rural (1/3)
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Despite concerns that regulating pain clinics may lead to increasing activity on the illicit market and subsequently more overdoses, the results of policy changes in Florida (2014) show a 27% decrease in prescription opioid death rates. While it can be noted that the heroin overdose (1/4)

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The intensity of America’s opioid crisis is largely attributed to shortcomings of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, drugs such as extended release oxycodone may be prescribed only for life-limiting illnesses, and the benefits of these (1/2)

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The legalization of medical and recreational marijuana may, in some instances, lead to potential negative effects regarding the academic wellbeing of adolescents. While some studies are inconclusive, it has been found that generally, students whose access to legal cannabis has been (1/3)

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Medical marijuana policy is a multifaceted issue, with strong evidence that cannabis impacts the frequency of traffic collisions, suicides, and opioid use. Its affect on opioid use is notably significant, as although its legalization has proven to decrease the rate at which opioids (1/2)
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In the 1970s, the US classified cannabis as a Schedule I drug with few exceptions, categorizing the drug to be a threat similar to that of heroin, another Schedule I drug. Legislation regarding its restriction faces great heterogeneity, and unclear possession limits varying by state.

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