“German Court Says Hangover is an Illness”

An interesting court ruling has been made in Germany as Oktoberfest 2019 comes to a close. Mike Ives’ “German Court Says a Hangover Is an Illness” goes into detail about this ruling as flags have been raised about false advertising claims made against a popular “anti-hangover” supplement. The supplement promises to cure one’s hangover, but since it is merely a supplement, this promise is false advertisement. In Germany, it is illegal to claim that food or supplements can cure any ailment or disease. Most would not consider a hangover to be an actual illness, however the court of Frankfurt found that illness is defined as “any, even minor or transient, disturbance of the normal nature or normal activity of the body” including, “an insignificant or temporary disturbance.. that it can be eliminated or mitigated and which heals.” So basically, exactly what a hangover is. 

Interestingly, hangovers themselves are still mostly uncurable. There are actually not any known effective medical treatments for the the “unpleasant physical and mental symptoms” that an alcohol-induced hangover can bring about. The actual cause of hangover symptoms is the body’s reaction to it’s blood alcohol concentration dropping from a somewhat high level all the way to zero. The human body’s unpleasant reaction to excessive alcohol consumption is supposed to serve a valuable purpose. By causing discomfort, our bodies are trying to compel us to “modify future behavior,” aka, don’t get plastered. Unfortunately it seems that most people do not listen to the warnings their body gives them. 

This ruling that hangovers are indeed an illness will not do much for the German population unfortunately. All it really does is force the unnamed supplement company claiming it can cure hangovers to change the claims and promises made in it’s advertising. 

“How Long Before These Salmon Are Gone? ‘Maybe 20 Years'”

In his article, “How Long Before These Salmon Are Gone? ‘Maybe 20 Years,’” journalist Jim Robbins explains the danger that Chinook salmon, and the species who rely on them, are in. He explains that as a result of warming waters, caused by human-driven climate change, and a series of dams along the Chinooks’ migration path, the Chinook Salmon of the Salmon River in Idaho have an uncertain future. The higher water temperatures combined with the physical obstruction of the dams make for an absolutely grueling journey for these fish. While Chinook salmon are some beasts of a fish, weighing upwards of 30 pounds, the migration is simply too difficult for many to make. 

The number of Chinook that survive the journey has dropped by nearly 48,000 in the past 60 years. It is estimated that there are only about 4 generations to come before the species disappears. This could subsequently lead to the demise of the 76 orca whales that journey the the U.S. west coast each spring and winter to feast on Chinook salmon. The extinction of one species is enough to get my attention, so two is even more so. This interests me because it highlights the extent and scale of humans’ destructive impact on the planet. And it could all be prevented. In this specific case, one scientist estimates that removing four of the lower dams on the Salmon River could help the species bounce back. Hopefully those presented with a solution to this problem will do the right thing.