5@5: DEA will place kratom on Schedule I list | 7 factors in America's obesity problem

DEA will ban chemicals contained in kratom, a popular herbal supplement

Two of the chemicals in the controversial herb kratom, which has been banned in a handful of states, will become a Schedule I Controlled Substance—at least temporarily—on Sept. 30, according to a notice of intent filed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. It's controversial because it activates some of the same receptors as opioids, but users stand by its power to help them recover from opioid addiction and manage pain. As defined by the DEA, Schedule 1 drugs have "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." Read more at STAT...

It's easy to become obese in America. These 7 charts explain why.

The astounding rise of obesity and chronic lifestyle diseases in this country (38 percent of adults are obese and 17 percent of children, according to the CDC) are due to a number of factors that Vox visualizes here: we're eating away from home more often, healthier food costs more and we're eating to much sugar, for starters. Read more at Vox...

NuGo Nutrition acquires Promax nutrition bars

NuGo makes protein bars for several different lifestyles. Promax makes gluten-free, kosher, stevia-sweetened protein bars. Read more at PR Newswire...

A coffee shortage is looming—here's how soon it could be extinct

The Climate Institute of Australia claims that if we don't do something about climate change, half of the world's land suitable for growing coffee will be lost within 35 years. This wouldn't just affect our morning routines; it would affect the livelihood of 25 million coffee farmers across the world. Read more at Yahoo Finance...

Mondelez drops offer for Hershey

The snack food company won't be buying the chocolatier after all. Hershey rejected Mondelez's second offer last week. Read more at The Wall Street Journal...