Is it time to give up low-dose aspirin as a heart-attack prevention tool? New evidence suggests that the risks may outweigh the benefits for many people. The tobacco industry followed a science-denial playbook that helped it stave off regulation of cigarettes. Are activist groups using the same strategy today in their campaign against pesticides? Dutch farmers have pushed back on their government's proposal to restrict animal agriculture. Will this dispute over "green" farm policies spread to other nations?

Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 184 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:

* Put down the baby aspirin: Risks might outweigh heart health benefits

Many adults have been told for years that low-dose aspirin can reduce their heart attack risk. Taking 325 milligrams during a heart attack can reduce complications, experts still believe. But evidence gathered in the last six years indicates that using the pain reliever as a preventative measure isn't always worth the risks it carries—gastrointestinal irritation and bleeding. While changing guidelines can be frustrating, they underscore the value of following the data wherever they lead.

* ‘Science-denial playbook’: How the tobacco industry denied proof of smoking dangers for decades

The tobacco industry perfected science denial; using cherry-picked statistics and clever but misleading arguments, the major cigarette companies kept the political debate over their products going for years, even after the evidence clearly showed that smoking was deadly. With so many activist groups lobbying for bans on low-risk pesticides, we face an intriguing question: are these contrarians in the environmental movement aping the tobacco industry's tactics?

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* Dutch farmer viewpoint: ‘Green activists want to destroy the ability of farms to produce high-quality, abundant, clean, and inexpensive food’

The Dutch government says it wants to take practical steps to mitigate the dangers of climate change, which include restrictions...