Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona declined to define a “woman” while testifying before the House Appropriations Committee Tuesday, April 18. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) repeatedly asked Cardona for a response. “I think that’s almost secondary to the important role that I have as secretary of education,” Cardona said. The hearing took place amid controversy over…

Nations have always struggled to kick cigarettes for good. Quitting outright would require either a complete ban on possession and sales, or the entire population would have to just – stop. So far, the best solution has been a patch: the slow and steady release of regulation. Smoking causes about 480,000 deaths in the U.S.…

Tobacco company Altria Group is doubling down on its e-cigarette business after a catastrophic bet with Juul lost it billions. The Marlboro maker announced this week it is putting up at least $2.75 billion to buy startup vape maker NJOY Holdings. Just last week, Altria divested its disastrous stake in Juul, which tumbled from $12.8…

Seniors and disabled veterans have a right to shoot their pistols, too, and the federal government needs to stop passing laws that encroach on that right. That’s the basis of a federal lawsuit filed by more than 20 state attorneys general, a gun rights group and a disabled veteran. The lawsuit was filed in federal…

Just when you thought the government was incapable of getting anything done these days, the 118th Congress lifted the ban on smoking in the Capitol. Representatives have always had the option of smoking in their offices, but now they can smoke in public parts of the Capitol, excluding the House floor. The Senate still prohibits…

Authorities arrest FTX founder in the Bahamas; a BTS member enters the military; and blizzards spread across the U.S. This is your morning rundown for Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.  FTX founder arrested, new CEO to testify today “I didn’t knowingly commit fraud, I don’t think I committed fraud, I didn’t want any of this to…

An “extremely dangerous” Hurricane Ian begins “catastrophic” landfall in Florida – Hurricane Ian, with 155 mph winds near Category 5 status, has begun to make landfall over over Sanibel and Captiva islands in southwest Florida, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Floridians are bracing for the “extremely dangerous” storm, with about 2.5 million…

After sugar and tobacco, cotton was one of the world’s first luxury goods. It also has a complex history in trade and politics, with production dating back to 4000 B.C. in India and Mexico. While cotton grows in nearly all tropical and subtropical regions around the world, environmental disasters, sunlight, water requirements and climate change…

The White House and Food and Drug Administration both announced plans this week to help more Americans avoid nicotine addiction. The plans could have dramatic impacts on two industries that rely on nicotine in their products. On Tuesday, the White House rolled out its plan to reduce the amount of nicotine in cigarettes and other…

“Imagine had the tobacco industry been immune to prostitutes being sued. Come on.”  That is a direct quote from President Joe Biden, who made the slip during a speech on so-called “ghost guns.” Biden once called himself a “gaffe machine” and there are many examples of that throughout his presidency. His varying verbal missteps have…