Big Tobacco Targeted by Bigger Government

Staff / Truthdig Apr 3, 2009 The Food and Drug Administration may soon have control over the tobacco industry, if legislation survives Senate obstacles. The bill passed by a wide margin in the House, where its principal sponsor, Rep. Henry Waxman, said, "It has taken us far too long to get to this point." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

It’s Time to Put the Clamps on Tobacco

Marie Cocco / Truthdig Mar 17, 2009 An idea that has been around for years now has reached that rarest of moments: There is a political environment that should, if reason prevails, produce legislation to require the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

McCain Coughs Up Another Joke About Killing Iranians

Staff / Truthdig Jul 14, 2008 The presumptive Republican presidential nominee gets what might have been a terrorist fist jab from wife Cindy over an ill-considered crack on rising U.S. cigarette sales to Iran: "Maybe that's a way of killing them." Ha ha, funnyman. Lucky for him, the media is in a forgiving mood these days when it comes to the ex-jet jockey, as Max Bergmann points out. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bad News for Older Smokers

Staff / Truthdig Sep 4, 2007 Cigarette smoking is even worse for your health than previously thought. Dutch researchers have found that smokers over the age of 55 are 50 percent likelier to develop some form of dementia. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Mr. Fish: Bipartisan Blunt

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Jan 10, 2007 Dig deeper

Pelosi Mulls Smoking Ban

Staff / Truthdig Dec 8, 2006 D.C. may be smoke-free, but Congress gets to set its own rules. Unfortunately for nicotine-craving lawmakers (25% of Congress), the Democrats' victory may lead to change for more than Iraq and the minimum wage -- Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi is considering a ban on smoking in the U.S. Capitol. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Extra Nicotine Keeps Smokers Smoking

Staff / Truthdig Aug 31, 2006 The average cigarette contains 10% more nicotine than it did in 1998 (some brands are 30% stronger). Seems a pretty effective way for "cancer stick" companies to hold on to their core market (i.e. the 70% of smokers who want to quit) in a time when the world has wised up to the health risks posed by smoking. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Tom & Jerry’ Smoking Scenes to Be Cut

Staff / Truthdig Aug 22, 2006 Turner Broadcasting is also searching through old "Flintstones" and "Scooby-Doo" cartoons to eliminate scenes that glamorize smoking. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Judge: Tobacco Giants Deceived Smokers

Staff / Truthdig Aug 18, 2006 A federal judge ruled that the nation's top cigarette makers have been violating racketeering laws and lying to the public about the effects of smoking, but legal restrictions prevented her from slapping the companies with billions in fines. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Mark Danner Waves the Smoking Gun

Staff / Truthdig May 5, 2006 New Yorker staff writer and Berkeley professor Mark Danner has a new book exploring America's scandalous indifference to the Downing Street Memo--the "smoking gun" that all but proves Bush was set on going to war in Iraq eight months before the actual invasion. Read the Buzzflash interview Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )