It doesn't take a genius...

Not to beat a dead horse, but what was noted, the conflation of correlation and causation, is not something so complex that it is or should be limited to those with careers in the sciences. If the Post is going to write and sell newspapers with little scientific blurbs to a reasonably intelligent audience, they should have reasonably intelligent reporters and editors who know the distinction. Saying they're not to blame and can only reprint what scientific publications spoon feed them is like saying a newspaper can't be blamed for reporting that 40% of the land area of Gaza is occupied by settlers, just because its reporters haven't visited every single settlement, and some Palestinian organizations, whose members live and work there, report that ridiculous figure to them. It doesn't take a genius or a "very smart medical expert " to understand that correlation is not causation and to spot bad data.