Tracy Mumford

The agency grants tens of thousands of requests from researchers to use its databases, but The Times has found that in dozens of cases, data was made vulnerable to theft, used for unapproved purposes, or released improperly.

For example, two years ago, an unidentified researcher in China was able to access Americans' genetic information, even though it's not supposed to be shared with people in adversarial countries that could use it for blackmail or military purposes.

In a statement, an NIH official said the agency has taken new steps to protect data, including the brain development study.

Though one geneticist who filed a complaint with the agency about the way data is handled told the Times, our scientific institutions sort of assume good faith in people.

And he added, quote, there needs to be an acknowledgement that there are bad faith researchers.

Four weekends in a row.

This is the month every year when millions of Americans rethink their relationship with alcohol.

Either going sober, going kind of sober.

Now, many people are going Cali sober.

Liquor sales during the month of January are bleak, and they've been consistently losing ground to THC-infused drinks.

like mocktails, seltzers, and teas.

Manufacturers of the drinks say their customers aren't just young people.

They're also seeing rising interest from older women in particular, who are trying them amid concerns about links between alcohol and various diseases.

Despite that growing market, though, the whole industry could be at risk of disappearing.

A federal law kicks in this November that puts strict new limits on the amount of THC that can be in products like those drinks.

While some of the beverages currently have 5 to 10 milligrams, the new limit will be 0.4 milligrams.

The CEO of an industry group told The Times that could be devastating for business.

Quote, it's like saying you can still buy pens, but they won't have any ink in them.

Those are the headlines.

I'm Tracy Mumford.