The positive emotions of love and joy might seem to have much in common. Similarly, anxiety and anger appear to be close emotional siblings.

But on social media, seemingly similar emotions can lead to very different responses.

According to new research by Yifan Yu, assistant professor of information, risk, and operations management at Texas McCombs, certain emotions pack a bigger punch than others when it comes to how posts spread on social media.

Portland State University researchers have released the final findings in a three-year project examining the impacts of multiple drug policy shifts including Measure 110 which decriminalized drug possession in Oregon. 

The final report finds little evidence that Measure 110 was responsible for rising crime or overdose deaths. Instead, researchers found that trends in crime rates and overdose fatalities were primarily driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of fentanyl. The report also offers crucial insights for the implementation of the state’s new drug policy (HB 4002), emphasizing that policy change alone isn't enough — successful deflection to treatment depends on robust resources and coordination.