GLP podcast/video: Lab-grown meat divides scientists; The rise of ‘Big Weed’; American Academy of Pediatrics goes anti-GMO?

Sustainable agriculture advocates are split over the potential benefits of cell-based meat. Why are these longtime allies divided over this fledgling technology? Marijuana legalization has given rise to a growing industry dubbed “Big Weed” by critics. How worried should we be about the pot business and the intoxicating products it markets? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently published a hotly contested report on biotech crops and pesticides. Experts fear it could mislead parents about the safety of America’s food supply.

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Join hosts Dr. Liza Dunn and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 249 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

• Cell-based, lab grown meat is splitting food and agricultural sustainability communities. Here’s why

Cell-based meat, produced in a laboratory rather than on a farm, has been hailed as a massive step forward for earth-friendly food production, though not everybody is excited about the technology. Many scientists worry the industry won’t be able to deliver on its sustainability marketing, owing to the high costs and energy consumption that come with its products. Advocates of cell-based meat say these criticism are overblown. Let’s take a closer look at the evidence.

• ‘Big Weed’: How today’s cannabis landscape mirrors tobacco companies in the 1950s

Once a largely underground industry, marijuana has grown into a multi-billion-dollar business driven by retail and online dispensaries that market a broad array of products. Some public health activists say the marketing claims used to sell this recently legalized cannabis are misleading, and the products themselves (ranging from vape pens to gummies and even THC-laced beverages) pose a serious threat to children’s health. This burgeoning industry should therefore be regulated like the tobacco industry, critics argue.

• Are children and pregnant women risking their health by eating “GMO” foods? The American Association of Pediatrics controversially says ‘yes’. The real question: Is the AAP endangering the food vulnerable?

The (American Academy of Pediatrics) AAP has a reputation for disseminating science-based guidance on vaccines, nutrition and other vitally important children’s health topics. Unfortunately, the organization in recent years has joined the chorus of activist groups that spreads misinformation about crop biotechnology and pesticides. Its recent clinical report on those topics was blasted by experts for repeating claims that are inaccurate. The science community fears AAP’s report could undermine years of work dedicated to educating consumers about agriculture and food safety.

Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow him on X @camjenglish