Why Tobacco Companies Are Spending Millions To Boost A Cigarette Tax

R.J. Reynolds has put $12 million into an effort to raise tobacco taxes in Missouri. But the proposed 60-cents per pack tax, still among the lowest in the nation, is not likely to make many smokers quit.

Colorado Wrestles With Ethics Of Aid-In-Dying As Vote Looms

Proposition 106, on Colorado’s ballot next month, would allow doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to people who have less than six months to live. A recent poll shows strong support for the measure.

Would California’s Proposed Tobacco Tax Hike Reduce Smoking?

When New York increased its cigarette tax, smoking rates declined. California’s proposed increase of $2 a pack may, too, say researchers. The higher the tax, the more likely people are to quit.

Election Buzz: With Pot On The Ballot, States Weigh How To Police Stoned Drivers

Blood tests for marijuana aren’t an accurate measure of impairment for drivers, and there isn’t an easy roadside sobriety test for pot yet. The five states where recreational marijuana is on the ballot may be looking to Colorado for its experiences with the DUI problem soon.

Veterans Courted In California’s Ballot Fight Over Curbing Drug Prices

The initiative would prohibit California state agencies from paying more for a prescription drug than what the Department of Veterans Affairs pays. Both sides are deploying veterans’ sympathetic and trusted image to win over voters.

Mike Pence’s Health Policy Record Is A Mixed Bag

As governor of Indiana, Mike Pence expanded Medicaid with conservative tweaks, responded to an HIV outbreak with a limited needle-exchange program and signed one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.