All in Opinion

John Hood: A Public Servant to the Last

RALEIGH — It was 250 years ago this week that the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia to organize America’s rebellion against the British crown. War had broken out a few weeks earlier at Lexington and Concord. But there was as yet no national government, no formal American army or relations with foreign countries, and no clear explanation of what the rebellious colonists sought to accomplish.

John Hood: Why North Carolinians Downsized Governors

RALEIGH — There are many critters designated by law to symbolize North Carolina. For example, we have an official state bird (red cardinal), reptile (eastern box turtle), horse (colonial Spanish mustang), mollusk (Scotch bonnet), dog (Plott Hound), and mammal (eastern gray squirrel), as well as two state amphibians (the marbled salamander and Pine Barrens tree frog).

Op-Ed: Expand Access to Anti-Obesity Medications to Improve Lives, Reduce Long Term Costs

Obesity rates are skyrocketing in our nation. In the last two decades, obesity has doubled among American adults.  Despite the growing consensus and greater understanding of the disease, many people continue to view obesity as a lifestyle choice or personal failure. It’s important to understand that for many Americans, obesity is not a choice.  It’s a chronic disease that affects every layer of a patient’s life.

Op-Ed: Senator Lazzara's take on rescheduling cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug

Nowadays, it’s easy for important information on key issues to get lost. That’s why I am glad that Senator Michael Lazzara took the time to highlight the significance of rescheduling cannabis in his op-ed, “Rescheduling cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug.” With growing evidence that cannabis has many therapeutic benefits, we cannot ignore the reality that cannabis-based treatments work.

Op-Ed: Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

Although the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tried to address the high cost of prescription drugs, this Forbes article rightly points out the unintended consequences of its "pill penalty.” In the short term, this pill penalty raises the cost of prescription tablets and capsules; in the long term, it stifles important pharmaceutical innovation and research into convenient, easy-to-use pills.