Kacey Musgraves was onto something when she ditched her gravity bong

“California sober” isn't all it's cracked up to be. [Bloomberg]( This is Bloomberg Opinion Today, a modern dispensary of Bloomberg Opinion’s opinions. [Sign up here](. Today’s Agenda - [McConnell]( isn’t the only one who [should quit](. - Arab-American voters [do not commit](. - The [Apple Car]( was a huge money pit. - It’s New York! [Rich people]( still make it. Hit It and Quit It A few weeks ago, Kacey Musgraves released [a new song]( called Deeper Well, which also is the moniker of her [upcoming album](. It’s a song about letting go of the things and people that no longer serve you. I’ve listened to it so much at this point — on the subway, at home and even while spinning at SoulCycle — that I’ve descended into that familiar realm where the track is playing in my head at all times. The lyrics are melancholy yet cathartic, acting as a sort of rebirth for Musgraves, who, up until this point was a [self-proclaimed]( [pothead](: I used to wake and bake Roll out of bed, hit the gravity bong that I made And start the day For a while, it got me by Everything I did seemed better when I was high I don't know why So I'm gettin’ rid of the habits that I feel Are real good at wastin’ my time No regrets, baby, I just think that maybe It's natural when things lose their shine So other things can glow I've gotten older now, I know How to take care of myself I found a deeper well The song has a lot of her fans [reconsidering]( their relationship with weed. And honestly? Thank goodness for that: “The evidence is mounting that your daily toke can be bad for your heart,” Lisa Jarvis [writes]( (free read). A new [study]( published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that everyday cannabis users had a 25% higher chance of having a heart attack and 42% higher chance of a stroke than non-users. In other words: Hitting that gravity bong at 7 a.m. on the daily is no good, very bad for your heart. The data arrives at a time when recreational cannabis use is on the rise. Just anecdotally, I now have not one, not two, but three [weed emporiums]( in a one-block radius of my apartment, all of which purport to elevate your mindset and transport you to a higher dimension. Young people are especially [susceptible]( to the lures of being “[California Sober](,” a lifestyle where people ditch alcohol [for the green stuff](: Driving the change is what Lisa calls the “aura of health.” We’ve moved past being cool and edgy — weed now acts as a vessel for “wellness,” much the way makeup companies have pivoted to selling vitamin C serums and sunscreens. During Dry January, Lisa’s inbox was flooded with pitches from cannabis companies hoping to fill the void: One firm said its THC drinks were “healthier and more mindful” than alcohol. And companies are selling an [aspirational aesthetic]( that appeals to the base instincts of Pinterest-loving Gen Zers. [Angel Therapy](, for instance, sells a “heaven sent cannabis flower” that claims to affirm creativity, focus and energy. And [Edie Parker]( — which makes kitschy cannabis accessories — sells [jello lighters]( that are so realistic-looking, you might mistake them for the real deal: Source: Instagram Despite these brands’ promises, we still don’t know a lot about [the potency]( of pot. Most of the studies on cannabis and heart health have used “first-generation cannabis,” or strains that are cultivated in the wild. “But modern dispensaries aren’t selling your grandparents’ weed,” Lisa writes. The [THC content]( found in pot has more than tripled since 1995: Although legalization was supposed to create a safe supply of weed, emergency room doctors and psychiatrists say they’re seeing [increased instances]( of “scromiting” — screaming and loud vomiting — and psychosis. No wonder Ms. Musgraves was keen to quit. While I will miss her weed-laden lyricism (“I ain’t [pageant material](, I'm always higher than my hair”), I’m glad that she [found]( her deeper well. And I hope she — and [this new study]( — inspires others to do so, too. Bye, Mitch Speaking of quitting: Mitch McConnell is [stepping down]( as the Senate Republican Leader after the November election. Honestly, that’s not a sentence I ever imagined I’d write. But before you go [rejoice]( over the fact that we’ll no longer need to zoom in on photos of his [discolored hands](, I suggest you read Nia-Malika Henderson’s [free column]( on the GOP leader’s, ahem, complicated legacy. At this point, Nia says “he has no place in this Republican Party. It belongs to Donald Trump.” That’s not to say that Trump’s takeover of the party will work out for the GOP. The presidential race is still very much up in the air, with reluctant voters on both sides of the aisle. Come November, Mary Ellen Klas [says]( Trump will undoubtedly struggle to round up[ suburban women](. As for Biden, if Michigan’s primary is any indication, Patricia Lopez [says]( he will need to earn the trust of Arab-American voters angry over his handling of the crisis in Gaza. Early unofficial results for yesterday’s race showed that more than 65,000 uncommitted ballots were cast — an organized attempt to put the pressure on Biden. Patricia calls it a “smart strategy” that sends a powerful, violence-free message to the White House: “Arab-Americans have come to know their political power and they are determined to exercise it.” Read [the whole thing]( for free. Bonus Politics Reading: Biden’s Middle East [policy]( is better than it looks. — Andreas Kluth RIP to the iCar Picture this: You work for a billion-dollar tech company. One day, the boss says “let’s make a car.” You agree to join the team with some other colleagues, despite having little to no knowledge about motorized vehicles. At first, you were thinking it should look like a BMW i3. But after a failed pitch to [McLaren](, you started to think big: the [van]( business would be perfect for Apple! You fiddle with [augmented reality](, [a new kind of battery]( and [smart seat belts](. You keep doing this for a decade until executives ask for a status-check on the car. Now, the company is worth over two trillion dollars and your team has over 2,000 people on it. But you have little to show for your efforts and AI is the shiny new toy in town. To your dismay, they decide to “wind down” your project. Was it all a fever dream? Perhaps. But you can’t shake the feeling that it was always going to end up this way. Personally, I can’t imagine what it’s like to work on something for 10 years and then just decide to throw in the towel. Yet that’s exactly what Apple did when it decided to scrap its car project: It “brings everyone’s favorite Silicon Valley rumor to an anti-climatic but sadly predictable end,” Dave Lee [writes](. Now, he says “Apple’s presence on our roads will remain limited to CarPlay.” Telltale Charts In 2014, only a dozen e-rickshaws — three-wheeled electric scooters —were sold in India. Fast-forward and e-rickshaws took a 54% share of India’s three-wheeler market last year. “Those betting India will come to the rescue of flailing global oil demand need to reckon with how things are changing on the streets,” David Fickling [writes](. Remember when all those people left New York City during Covid and the state started to worry that it wasn’t going to survive without wealthy taxpayer money? Well, the exodus wasn’t as dire for New York’s finances as some thought. Justin Fox [says]( “the vast majority of New Yorkers leaving for other states make less than $250,000 a year and are probably motivated more by high housing costs than high taxes.” Turns out, there are still plenty of rich people in this [stinky]( city to pay the bills! Huzzah for that. Further Reading Congress is putting US troops at risk by [neglecting]( Pacific nations. — Bloomberg’s editorial board Wendy’s is right to [walk back]( its plan to test [surge pricing]( for burgers. — Bobby Ghosh A “frugal” boss who earns $40 million? Here’s why he’s [worth it](. — Chris Bryant Selling [a rate hike]( during recession will be tough for Japan. — Daniel Moss and Gearoid Reidy Emmanuel Macron [stepped up]( to lead. Can he deliver? — Marc Champion Hong Kong is racing to find [the bottom]( of its property market. — Shuli Ren In Ukraine, poets, painters and dancers have [fought and died](. — Howard Chua-Eoan OPEC+ should [pump more]( crude in the second quarter. — Javier Blas ICYMI Curb Your Enthusiasm’s [Richard Lewis]( passed away. Bitcoin [surged]( past $60,000 for the first time in two years. The Texas wildfire is the [second-largest]( in state history. Panera Bread [found]( a minimum wage loophole. Elon Musk gave [an update]( on the Tesla Roadster. This is where [new migrants go]( when they reach the US. Kickers A two-bedroom with a side of [summer camp](. One month with the [Apple Vision Pro](. The [water hack]( you didn’t know you needed. TikTok’s [chopped sandwiches]( are doing the most. Subway [made a bag]( that can store three Footlongs. Notes: Please send Footlong chopped sandwiches and feedback to Jessica Karl at jkarl9@bloomberg.net. 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