From today's Star: on the repeal of "Blue Laws"

I had to post this--partly because it was so easy to overlook in today's paper and partly because it was fairly remarkable. Remember "Blue Laws"? The name of laws that outlawed shopping on Sundays? Remember those and how we did away with them here in Missouri, decades ago? Apparetnly someone studied these closely and they have come up with the following data: Church versus Sunday shopping: US Christian women have grown unhappier since stores have stayed open on Sundays, says a study by Israel's Ben Gurion University and Chicago's DePaul University. Data from states that repealed laws restricting Sunday commerce also revealed lower church attendance for white women and an increase in drinking and drug use. I have to ask how they can be certain of cause and effect here? It seems they're assuming the shopping possibility causes the bad feelings and other effects. I thought it both funny and possibly, likely presumptuous. Anyway, have a great weekend, y'all. It's beautiful out there.