#FINANCIAL_LITERACY

Carb problems... Beer feels 'em. We've been chatting with you for weeks about declining sales (beer is now under 50% of all alcohol consumed in the US). And Boston Beer Co. is obsessed with ales — it owns Sam Adams, just bought IPA fan Dogfish Head, and often touts its beard-approved craft status. But research firm IRI recently reported this stat: Only 25% of Boston Beer's biz is beer.

That means 75% is non-beer stuff... In fact, its new profit puppy is super clear: Truly Hard Seltzer. The citrus-infused, gluten-free option has been Boston's summer tailgate champ, driving the company's 21% increase in shipments last quarter. Here's the rest of Boston Beer's non-beer, beach-beverage roster:

• Truly: Sorry, had to mention this one again — its sales surged 163% last quarter from the year before (prepping for peak summer).
• Twisted Tea: The hard iced tea sat back and enjoyed 22% sales growth.
• Angry Orchard Cider: Just came out with a "rosé" option, because, rosé.
• Other non-beer bets: A hard kombucha called Tura and a "craft" hard tea that goes by Wild Leaf.

Three drug dealers are getting sued by 35 states... The stocks of McKesson Corp, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen fell on a report from Bloomberg that they offered $10B to settle opioid lawsuits. Those 35 states had a completely different number in mind.

There's plenty to blame for America's opioid epidemic... Purdue Pharmainvented (and aggressively marketed) the addictive Oxycontin, while doctors over-prescribed it. Then there are these 3 prescription drug distributors — they hook up pharmacies with the pills (aka the drug dealer's drug dealer). Here's why that $10B they offered to end the whole thing is a problem:

• The allegation: 35 states believe the drug distributors turned their heads to what was obviously a dangerous problem.
• The painful example: Some US counties had over 100 pills distributed per person, per year — to make more profits. 100 opioids per person.
• The counter: Instead of accepting a $10B settlement, the 35 states proposed drug distributors pay up $45B. Big difference.