Nonprofit newsroom investigating the causes of preventable death and disease. Covering tobacco, big food, pollution and more.https://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mtlukpwbo22uFrom the U.K. to India to Quebec, health authorities are taking notice of growing evidence about the health risks of energy drinks. Experts say a battle with the beverage industry is looming. https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post21 Aug 2026 13:29 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtlukpwbo22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mtjeerqihs24Health officials around the world are stepping up oversight of energy drinks, especially protections for young people. But the beverage industry has beaten similar proposals before. Will this time be different? http://www.theexamination.org/articles/energy-drinks-scrutiny-industry-fight?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post20 Aug 2026 13:34 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtjeerqihs24https://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mteureufyc2i🏅 We’re honored to have won a @rtdna.bsky.social Murrow Award for investigative reporting for “the poisonous lead trade,” our collaboration with @nytimes.com about battery recycling plants that have poisoned people in Nigeria with lead. Read the investigation: examination.news/4wzcRLI https://examination.news/4wzcRLI18 Aug 2026 18:44 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mteureufyc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mt2kgeoeck24Energy drinks are everywhere, but what does the science say about their risks? We reviewed dozens of studies looking at the impact of energy drinks on heart health, anxiety and more. https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post14 Aug 2026 16:13 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2kgeoeck24https://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3msxpyjllr22qEnergy drinks are everywhere, but concerns about their safety have persisted for years. We reviewed dozens of studies examining links to heart problems, anxiety and more. Here’s what we found ⬇️ https://www.theexamination.org/articles/energy-drinks-health-risks-explained?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post13 Aug 2026 13:14 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxpyjllr22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3msgb5txdgs2mDid the Trump admin put out a Zyn ad? That’s what people are asking after the White House posted a viral TikTok video implying the U.S. military runs on Zyn. With teen use of nicotine pouches on the rise, here’s why the video is concerning ⬇️ https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post06 Aug 2026 14:34 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3msgb5txdgs2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mrxhktzlo223@redbull.com spent hundreds of thousands of dollars over more than a decade to fund studies disputing the risks of mixing energy drinks with alcohol — including research that has been used to stymie regulation, our latest investigation found. https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post31 Jul 2026 17:18 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrxhktzlo223https://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mrum2znbks2pFor over a decade, @redbull.com funded studies that disputed the risks of consuming energy drinks and alcohol together — and research tied to the company has been used to roll back public health regulations in Canada and elsewhere. Read our latest investigation: https://www.theexamination.org/articles/red-bull-funded-research-energy-drinks-alcohol?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post30 Jul 2026 14:01 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrum2znbks2phttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mrcxes3tac2kVenezuela was already struggling with food insecurity. Then came the earthquakes. Reporter Ana Vanessa Herrero captures how civilians are feeding and rescuing each other as the devastation in La Guaira threatens a new humanitarian crisis. https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post23 Jul 2026 13:35 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrcxes3tac2khttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mr6libpy6k2lThousands of cases of diarrhea caused by the foodborne parasite cyclospora have spread across the U.S., straining a food safety system that was already stretched thin. How did this happen? 🧵⬇️ https://www.theexamination.org/articles/trump-administration-cuts-threaten-already-strained-food-safety-system?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post21 Jul 2026 19:52 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr6libpy6k2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mqrevyphbk2uA year after we contacted the @fda.gov during the 2025 DOGE cuts, a whistleblower approached us, alleging failings during the greenlighting of Zyn nicotine pouches. Here’s how the investigation came together: https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post16 Jul 2026 13:50 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqrevyphbk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mqmcvtzrpk2jA former @fda.gov toxicologist said the agency approved Zyn nicotine pouches for sale without knowing what they're made of — and that the pouches could shed microplastics, potentially harming users. Our investigation, copublished with @statnews.com http://www.theexamination.org/articles/zyn-nicotine-pouches-microplastics-fda?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post14 Jul 2026 13:30 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqmcvtzrpk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mq5uegwrk227In “Landman,” workers run from a dangerous gas called hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This is a real problem in Texas. Our 2024 investigation with @houstonchronicle.com found roughly 78k residents near wells associated with high levels of H2S. Some say it’s still a problem. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/REaHTM0etEs08 Jul 2026 19:33 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq5uegwrk227https://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mppa3jvffc2dFrom banks to hospitals, American Chambers of Commerce are an ally for many international businesses — including Big Tobacco. Here’s how much they do to help cigarette-makers succeed overseas. ⬇️ https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post02 Jul 2026 23:53 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mppa3jvffc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mplrxmftxs2d🚬 🇺🇸 From Bulgaria to Ukraine, local affiliates of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce promoted the interests of the world’s largest cigarette-makers. Read more: examination.news/4ggJ1aG01 Jul 2026 15:02 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mplrxmftxs2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mplr4icnfk2jFrom Bulgaria to Ukraine, local affiliates of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce promoted the interests of the world’s largest cigarette-makers. https://www.theexamination.org/articles/american-chambers-commerce-aid-tobacco-industryutm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post01 Jul 2026 14:47 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mplr4icnfk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mp4pmogsyk2iA toxic oil industry practice linked to health harms and climate change is getting worse for the third year in a row, according to a World Bank report. https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post25 Jun 2026 15:10 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp4pmogsyk2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mp22t23hb22xThe oil industry’s practice of flaring gas, which spews toxic air emissions into communities and contributes to climate change, has gotten worse for the third year in a row, according to a new World Bank report. https://www.theexamination.org/articles/gas-flaring-world-bank-2025?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post24 Jun 2026 13:53 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp22t23hb22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mokoeinakm2vA new tobacco battle is taking shape as Palau asks the United Nations to classify nicotine under the same category as psychotropic drugs like LSD and ecstasy — a first in 30 years. https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post18 Jun 2026 11:00 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mokoeinakm2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3modl7gvndc2pPalau has asked the United Nations to classify nicotine as a controlled substance, triggering the first WHO review of the drug in 30 years. Experts say it’s a long shot, but the small island nation is taking on an industry accused of hooking a new generation on e-cigs and nicotine pouches. https://www.theexamination.org/articles/palau-nicotine-un-review?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post15 Jun 2026 15:15 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3modl7gvndc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mnzmhamw7w2nWhy do kids beg their parents for foods like Lunchables? And why do parents buy them? You have Big Tobacco to thank for that, explains University of California, San Francisco professor Laura Schmidt. https://www.theexamination.org/articles/big-tobacco-lunchables-ultraprocessed-foods?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post11 Jun 2026 16:10 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnzmhamw7w2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mnzdfq7n6r2fThe family of a Texan teen who died of a heart attack has long insisted it was caused by a popular, highly caffeinated energy drink. Now, the state’s attorney general is investigating whether the company “is deliberately marketing a potentially harmful product” to children. https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post11 Jun 2026 13:28 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnzdfq7n6r2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mnhz5blcs727Countries worldwide are putting warning labels on food. Chile's stop-sign design is the gold standard. The U.S. is proposing something far less effective, researchers say. https://www.theexamination.org/articles/fda-proposed-food-label-effectiveness?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post04 Jun 2026 16:09 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnhz5blcs727https://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mnhl6t3irv27Food warning labels are coming to the U.S., according to a proposed rule by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But how does the design compare to warning labels in countries like 🇨🇱 🇮🇩🇮🇳? https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post04 Jun 2026 12:00 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnhl6t3irv27https://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mmwawelsps2eThe U.S. FDA hopes nicotine pouches can help smokers quit, but new data shows few adult smokers use them to kick their habit — and while use of these products remains low among young people, researchers are watching for signs use could spike in a repeat of the vaping epidemic. https://www.theexamination.org/articles/nicotine-pouches-smoking-path-data?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post28 May 2026 14:41 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmwawelsps2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mmvukw53mx2yThe U.S. FDA hopes nicotine pouches can help American smokers quit, but new data shows few adult smokers use them to kick their habit — and that teenagers are more familiar with these products than adults. More in our latest newsletter ⬇️ https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post28 May 2026 11:00 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmvukw53mx2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mmej4p5haf2tA proposal to change global labelling standards to include cancer warnings and bar misleading claims about alcohol’s health benefits failed after pushback from the United States, Japan and Mexico — all countries with influential alcohol industries. More in our latest newsletter ⬇️ https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post21 May 2026 13:20 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmej4p5haf2thttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mlsuqrywz72uThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two fruit-flavored vapes featuring age-verification technology intended to stop kids from using them. But critics say minors have found ways around some age verification safeguards. More in this week's newsletter ⬇️ https://www.theexamination.org/newsletter?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post14 May 2026 13:00 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlsuqrywz72uhttps://bsky.app/profile/theexamination.org/post/3mlny4th57k2rThe EU Parliament is calling for an investigation into undisclosed meetings between EU trade staff and Philip Morris International, during which the tobacco giant asked EU officials to influence other countries’ tobacco policies. http://www.theexamination.org/articles/european-parliament-philip-morris-investigation?utm_source=bsky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=te_post12 May 2026 14:17 +0000at://did:plc:yoztypui4q3vinkdyulz3cf3/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlny4th57k2r