NASA conducts bed-rest studies, but they don’t include smoking pot

Versions of this viral — and untrue — story date back to March 2016.

An online story that claimed NASA pays people thousands to smoke marijuana in bed for months is actually a viral legend that has been in orbit for quite a while now.

“NASA will pay you $18,000 to stay in bed and smoke weed for 70 straight days,” read the headline on a January post on TheSolExchange.com, a blog that is largely concerned with the latest developments in athletic sneakers. Judging by the number of commenters asking to be signed up, there also is an audience for marijuana studies.

Facebook users flagged this post to PolitiFact as possibly being fabricated, as part of the site’s efforts to fight fake news in users’ social media feeds.

“NASA has put out an ad looking for people who’re willing to take part in their ‘Rest Studies’ — a study which will require participant to spend 70 straight days in bed, relaxing and smoking different types of cannabis, for which they will receive a salary of 18,000 USD,” the post read. “During the relaxation period participants are allowed to read books, play games, Skype and smoke weed. They can do whatever they want as long as it involves staying in bed, week after week, earning a cool 1200 USD per week.”

There are more details on the post, but you get the gist. We found versions of the same story on several other blogs going back to at least March 2016, all claiming NASA is doling out the big bucks for people who want to lounge all day and spark up. Pretty good hustle, right? Except it’s not true. Well, it’s true that NASA does perform bed-rest studies. The goal is to examine the potential effects of weightlessness on astronauts, and lying in bed with your head tilted down at a six-degree angle is apparently a fair substitute.

The studies sound pretty much as described at TheSolExchange. com — except for the cannabis part. Several media outlets like the Houston Chronicle, Forbes, Vice bite cases, according to the city, must provide a current rabies vaccination certificate to Animal Protection.

If the owner can’t provide one, the dog is placed in quarantine