Jacob James Rich
Policy Analyst, Reason Foundation
Jacob James Rich is a Policy Analyst at Reason Foundation.
His work primarily focuses on health care policy, specializing in prescription and illegal drug regulations.
Rich holds master’s degrees in mathematics and economics from Eastern Michigan University. He is currently a PhD student at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine.
Prior to joining Reason, he conducted research for the Cato Institute focused on economics and opioid policy.
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As Purdue Pharma Takes the Fall, Don’t Forget the Government’s Role In the Opioid Crisis
Government policies have forced or encouraged pain patients to turn to more dangerous drugs, including heroin and fentanyl.
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How California’s Flavored Tobacco Ban Will Hurt Communities and Budgets
Prohibitions on flavored tobacco products can lead to over-policing in disadvantaged communities and hurt state and local budgets.
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How Congress’ Proposed Marijuana Banking Reform Would Boost Government Budgets
Marijuana banking law reforms could help the economy, state and local governments, small businesses, and be a net positive to the federal budget.
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Bill Would Allow Gig Economy Workers to Get Personal Protection Equipment From Companies
Many unnecessary federal regulations have prevented adequate access to PPE.
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Vital PPE: How To Increase Production and Distribution of Masks to Fight COVID-19
Part six of a series discussing strategies for combating and recovering from the coronavirus pandemic. The important role PPE has in containing the coronavirus and returning to pre-COVID-19 economic activities.
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Smoking, Vaping and the Risks From COVID-19
The CDC has provided no evidence to suggest that smoking increases the risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
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COVID-19 Lockdown Problems and Alternative Strategies to Safely Reopening the Economy
Part one of a series discussing strategies for combating and recovering from the coronavirus pandemic. More data-driven approaches based on test and trace are desirable.
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Why Policymakers Are Wrong to Use the Coronavirus Crisis to Push Vaping Bans
There’s no research supporting the claims being used to try to ban e-cigarettes amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Working Paper: An Evidence-Based Approach to Fighting the Coronavirus Pandemic
"A realistic plan for unlocking society must be found. Urgently. This brief seeks to offer elements of what such a plan might look like, based on evidence from actions taken in many jurisdictions."
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How Marijuana Prohibition Contributed to the Vaping Lung-Injury “Epidemic”
States with legalized marijuana reported fewer lung injuries per million people than states that have not yet permitted recreational cannabis.
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It’s Time to Free the Pharmaceutical Market From Government Control
It’s the government’s fault that drug prices are so high.
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California Considers Statewide Ban on All Flavored Tobacco Products
State lawmakers are moving to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and cigars.
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These Proposed Vaping and Smoking Restrictions Are Neither Necessary Nor Fair
Congress is poised to eliminate half of the tobacco industry.
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The Nanny State Comes For Menthol Cigarettes
History shows that banning a product such as menthol cigarettes disproportionately harms racial minorities as law enforcement targets the people buying and selling them.
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Does Menthol Cigarette Distribution Affect Child or Adult Cigarette Use?
If the strength of the association between menthol cigarettes and increased youth initiation is as strong as tobacco control activists suggest, there should be signs of it in the national data.
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Study Finds Minnesota’s Taxes on E-Cigarettes Led to an Increase in Smoking of Traditional Cigarettes
The report's authors then postulate that if the same tax was levied across the entire United States, 1.8 million fewer people would quit smoking over a 10-year period.
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CDC Survey Shows Flavors Aren’t Driving Youth Vaping
The CDC finds only 22 percent of young people say they tried e-cigarettes because they “are available in flavors, such as mint, candy, fruit or chocolate.”
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The Criminal Justice Implications of Raising the Tobacco Age to 21
Do we really want to give 20-year-olds criminal records for vaping?
