A troubling new paper has found that antidepressant use is surging among young Americans. Between January 2016 and December 2022, the monthly antidepressant dispensing rate increased 66.3% at a rate of 17% a month. It is yet another sign that all is not well with the Zoomer generation, with researchers noting that the antidepressant dispensing rate was rising before the Covid pandemic too (although it did rise 63.5% faster afterward).

Perhaps the most interesting takeaway from the paper is that the surge was driven entirely by an increase in dispensation to females (male dispensation actually decreased). Linked to this finding, argues Freya India in a recent Substack piece, is the extremely high percentage of women identifying as asexual: “In the US, 86% of those identifying as asexual are female, and 91% are aged between 18 to 27,” India writes. “Which is also the demographic with some of the fastest-rising rates in the use of mental health medication.” Just don’t ask Elmo for advice…

Sadiq Khan faced fresh criticism for his handling of London nightlife today, as he received a dreaded X community note for a recent post. The London Mayor had been praising his part-time, £120,000-a year “Night Czar” Amy Lamé, who is in charge of managing London’s nightlife, while also labelling London an “inspiration” for global cities with a “24-hour policy”.

London is leading the world in its 24-hour policy with other global cities looking to us for inspiration.

London’s Night Czar spoke earlier about her role, championing the nighttime economy and representing 1.3m workers. pic.twitter.com/9yEGFSgKHT

— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) March 3, 2024

 Lamé claimed in an interview on the BBC’s Politics London that they would “see results now” in their effort to improve London nightlife and that she was focused on “helping venues to not just survive but thrive”. Community notes were quick to point out, via a Daily Mail article, that 1,110 bars have shut since the Covid-19 pandemic and London nightlife had been “annihilated”.

Lamé has faced widespread criticism recently, as the Spectator revealed that the GLA Tories have demanded a probe into the her over a potential breach of political neutrality. This is not the first time the Mayor has faced a community note. In June of last year Khan was on the receiving end of a note which questioned his claim that “this city was built by migrants. By Refugees.” The note pointed out that London was founded in roughly 50AD by those who would currently be called English. Don’t let facts get in the way of a good soundbite…