States Should Be Allowed to Protect Children from Dangerous Procedures

LGBT, Video, , ,

A Tennessee case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court could decide the future of Arkansas’ SAFE Act.

The Save Adolescents From Experimentation — or SAFE — Act is a good law that protects children in Arkansas from sex-change procedures, puberty-blockers, and cross-sex hormones. In 2021 the SAFE Act passed with overwhelming support from the Arkansas Legislature, but it has been blocked in federal court ever since.

A Tennessee law that is very similar to the SAFE Act is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, and that case could determine whether or not Arkansas will be able to protect children from sex-change procedures.

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel, Director of the Center for Public Policy Matt Sharp recently gave a speech outside the U.S. Supreme Court, where he explained why the court should let Tennessee enforce its law. He also explained why these procedures are so dangerous for children.

In his remarks, Mr. Sharp said,

Every child deserves to be kept safe from harmful drugs and surgeries. And no one—I repeat, no one—has a right to harm children. That’s why Alliance Defending Freedom has been working with lawmakers, policy organizations, medical professionals, and countless others to protect children from dangerous, life-altering, and unnecessary gender transition drugs and surgeries, and to help defend these critical laws in court.

Children who experience discomfort with their biological sex deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. They need access to compassionate, effective mental health care that is rooted in biological truth. . . .

Our laws have long protected kids from things that society has determined are harmful to them or that children lack the maturity and experience to handle. If a kid can’t sign a contract, vote, purchase alcohol or tobacco, or even get a tattoo, how can a child be mature enough to consent to these experimental, irreversible medical procedures that can lead to permanent sterilization?

You can watch the full speech below.

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Texas Looks at Statewide THC Ban

Marijuana

News outlets in San Antonio report that legislation proposed in Texas would ban THC statewide. THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana.

Elected officials in Texas say sellers are using legal loopholes to market dangerous THC products in the state.

Edibles and other substances containing high doses of THC are sometimes manufactured from industrial hemp — or cannabis — and marijuana products containing high levels of THC pose serious health risks.

Nationwide, marijuana products like these — including gummies, candies, and other edibles containing THC — are sending kids to the emergency room.

In 2022 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a strong warning highlighting five serious health risks associated with Delta-8 THC manufactured from industrial hemp products. Likewise, researchers at the Oregon Health and Sciences University found poison center calls due to children exposed to marijuana rose 245% from 2000 – 2020.

Last summer the Centers for Disease Control released a report showing the number of children, teens, and young adults sent to the emergency room due to marijuana exposure increased from 2019 to 2022. The report revealed that marijuana-related ER visits surged more than 200% among children under age 11 during that time.

THC is dangerous — especially for children. That’s part of the reason Arkansas has taken steps to prohibit THC products. 

Last year the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 629 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R – Paragould). This good law prevents Delta-8 THC and other THC varieties from being manufactured and sold via industrial hemp — or cannabis — in Arkansas. However, a group of companies that profit from Delta-8 THC has sued to block Act 629 in federal court.

Without laws addressing THC, these drugs could send more children to the E.R. in Arkansas.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Appeals Court Says U.S. Can Ban Chinese-Backed TikTok

Social Media,

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that a federal appeals court ruled the U.S. can ban TikTok if the social media giant fails to cut ties with China. The ruling upholds a federal law congress enacted over national security concerns.

With approximately one billion users worldwide — including upwards of 135 million or more in the U.S. — TikTok arguably is one of the most popular social media platforms on the planet. Its Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance, has been valued at $300 billion.

Despite being a popular, multibillion-dollar corporation, it seems TikTok has failed to overcome some very serious failures. The platform  has struggled to protect private user data from entities in China — including the Chinese Communist Party — and it has been accused of serving users a steady “diet of darkness” online.

Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Justice actually sued TikTok for allegedly violating federal laws intended to protect children online, and Canadian authorities recently ordered TikTok to stop operating in their country, citing national security concerns.

Elected leaders from Arkansas have expressed their concerns about how China might manipulate TikTok.

As U.S. Congressman Bruce Westerman pointed out last March,

Although TikTok executives claim that it does not share any data collected by the app, there are several Chinese laws in place that provide CCP [Chinese Communist Party] officials access to all user data collected by Chinese-owned tech companies, like TikTok. This means the CCP has access to sensitive data, like the location of every TikTok user worldwide, including the over 210 million Americans who have downloaded the app.

In 2022, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, saying in part,

TikTok captures vast amounts of private information on users, including American citizens, and has long been suspected of providing the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] with potential access to that information. This threatens the safety and security of American citizens, and also functions as an avenue for the Chinese government to track the locations of and develop blackmail on Federal employees and contractors.

Last year Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed two lawsuits against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance.

The A.G.’s lawsuits allege that TikTok and ByteDance failed to fully disclose that the company is subject to Chinese laws that mandate cooperation with intelligence activities of the People’s Republic of China and that TikTok aggressively collects sensitive user data. The lawsuits are ongoing in state court.

As we keep saying, social media is more than just websites or phone apps. These are multibillion dollar businesses owned and operated by investors and other interests. If the Chinese Communist Party can influence TikTok, the CCP may be able to manipulate users or harvest sensitive data on one of the world’s largest social media platforms. That ought to concern everyone.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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