Backgrounders
View all policy studies.-
Debunking the myth that vaping causes popcorn lung
There is no evidence that e-cigarettes cause popcorn lung. In fact, all of the evidence points to the contrary.
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Examining recent crime trends and flaws in national statistics
It is important to understand crime data in context and avoid reactionary policy decisions.
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Monetary sanctions and court fees are counterproductive to the goals of juvenile justice
Each year, an estimated 1 million youth enter juvenile courts.
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Text message reminders can improve community supervision outcomes and reduce inefficiency
Nearly 3.7 million adults are on community supervision programs like probation and parole–that’s nearly twice the number of people incarcerated in jail or prison.
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State tobacco and nicotine preemption and public health promotion
To maximize the benefits to public health, state legislators should preemptively reserve their state’s right to regulate nicotine products.
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Taxes on tobacco alternatives undermine harm reduction efforts
To maximize the benefits to public health and advance the economic well-being of consumers, taxes on safer nicotine products should be kept lower than those of combustible cigarettes.
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Unintended consequences of proposed menthol prohibition
With adult and youth smoking reaching generational lows and still falling, there is little reason to use the blunt force of prohibition to reduce smoking rates.
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Providing returning citizens with IDs and other essential documents can facilitate the reentry process
Over 80% of prisoners will eventually be released and roughly 500,000 people are released from prison each year.
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Strategies for improving community supervision programs
Nearly 3.7 million adults are on community supervision programs like probation and parole across the United States.
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Occupational licensing reform can reduce barriers to employment faced by former offenders
Lawmakers should consider occupational licensing reform to reduce government-imposed barriers to employment for former offenders.
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Recommendations for the FAA reauthorization bill
Congress should encourage the adoption of space-based ADS-B in air traffic control, the deployment of remote air traffic control towers, and more.
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Modern oral nicotine and tobacco harm reduction
Oral nicotine or nicotine pouches have gained increasing popularity among smokers wishing to switch to a safer form of nicotine.
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Optimal regulatory framework for state regulation of sports betting
To maximize the benefits of sports betting legalization and minimize negative externalities, state regulatory frameworks should encourage robust and competitive markets.
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Senate Bill 88 would expose Alaska to potentially higher pension costs
Senate Bill 88 would likely cost Alaska more than $8 billion in the coming decades.
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House Bill 22 and Senate Bill 35 threaten Alaska’s budgets
HB 22 and SB 35 would likely cost Alaska upwards of $800 million in the coming decades.
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Examining an Alaska pension reform counterfactual
A look at what would have happened to the Public Employee Retirement System and Teacher Retirement System if proposed pension reforms from 2021 had been enacted.
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The costs and risks of proposed public retirement changes in Alaska
Examining several pieces of proposed legislation impacted public pensions in Alaska.
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Senate Bill 11 would bring public pension risk back to Alaska
SB 11 would likely cost Alaska $9 billion in the coming decades.
