America is scaling sin in real time. We're all paying for it.
Summary
America is experiencing a rapid increase in activities once seen as immoral or illegal, like marijuana use, gambling, and pornography, as these become more common and accessible, especially through digital platforms. This shift has outpaced government rules and social norms, affecting many Americans and state finances.Key Facts
- Marijuana is legal for recreational use in 24 states plus Washington, D.C., and for medical use in 40 states.
- The Trump administration reclassified medical marijuana to a less restricted category in 2024.
- States have collected nearly $25 billion in cannabis taxes since 2014, with 2024 expected to bring in a record $4.4 billion.
- Online sports betting is common, with over half of American men aged 18-49 having an account, and many betting large amounts daily.
- States that legalized sports betting have seen increased bankruptcy and debt collection, especially among young, low-income men.
- Prediction markets allow people to bet on events beyond sports, including political or violent outcomes, with huge increases in trading volume in 2024.
- The average age for first viewing online pornography is 12, with 15% of kids seeing it by age 10.
- AI technology has greatly increased nonconsensual deepfake porn, growing from 500,000 files in 2023 to 8 million by the end of the year, mostly without consent.
- President Trump signed the TAKE IT DOWN Act criminalizing posting nonconsensual intimate images, including AI deepfakes, but challenges remain due to the scale of the problem.
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