Outliers: Asides

Well, that didn't last long. Oregon officials are backing off their proposal to prohibit sales of pot-infused treats at the state's medical marijuana stores after receiving hundreds of e-mailed comments opposing the ban. In a new set of rules, the Oregon Health Authority seeks only to ban marijuana-laced products that are made or packaged in ways that might appeal to children, prohibiting drug-infused goods that are brightly colored or formed in the shape of animals, toys or candies. … Break out the disinfectant.

Researchers in Switzerland found that the diaphragms of stethoscopes—the part that a doctor presses against your chest—were more contaminated with the superbug MRSA than the palm of the hand. And if the stethoscopes aren't disinfected between uses, they're just as likely to contaminate the next patient as unwashed hands, they said.