European Countries Implement Age-Verification Laws Protecting Children from Pornography

Legislation, ,

The BBC reports countries in Europe are implementing age-verification measures to protect children from pornographic material online. The laws are similar to legislation Arkansas and other states began enacting in 2023.

Act 612 of 2023 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Mindy McAlindon (R – Centerton) requires pornographic websites to implement an age verification process to protect children from pornography. The measure passed with nearly unanimous support in the legislature. The law took effect on August 1, 2023, prompting PornHub to disable access to its website from Arkansas. To date, at least eight other states have passed laws similar to Act 612.

Technology has given children unprecedented access to pornography, and Family Council is deeply grateful to Sen. Tyler Dees and Rep. Mindy McAlindon for sponsoring Act 612 and to the members of the Arkansas General Assembly for overwhelmingly supporting the passage of this good law.

Laws like Act 612 are one way we can help protect children from finding pornographic content online — even by accident. We look forward to continuing to work with parents and policymakers to protect children online in the future.

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

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Marijuana Use Doubles Risk of Death From Heart Disease: Study

Marijuana

A study published the journal Heart last week shows marijuana use doubles a person’s risk of death from heart disease.

Researchers analyzed data from multiple studies involving a total of 200 million people — most of whom were between 19 and 59 years old.

The results showed marijuana users face a 20% higher risk of stroke, a 29% higher risk of heart attack, and a staggering 200% higher risk of “cardiovascular death.”

In a separate column, Heart’s editors said it is time to treat marijuana like an important factor for cardiovascular disease, writing,

Cannabis use, like tobacco and alcohol use, should be assessed in all patients. At least in the USA, health professionals are the most influential source of cannabis information regardless of patient age, cannabis use or state legal status, making it important for clinicians to ask about use, educate all patients about cannabis risks and take cannabis use into account in clinical decision making.

We have written for years how THC — the main psychoactive substance in marijuana — has been tied to everything from heart disease and cancer to stroke, mental illness, and birth defects.

Public health data across America has shown marijuana products routinely send kids to the emergency room and prompt parents to call poison control centers.

And marijuana’s legalization in many states has actually emboldened drug cartels and increased the flow of illegal marijuana across America.

All of this underscores what we have always said: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

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

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