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News, Page 41

Washington state attorney general seeks to raise smoking age to 21

By Eric M. Johnson SEATTLE (Reuters) – Washington state could become the only U.S. state to raise its legal age for smoking tobacco to 21 from 18 under a measure proposed on Wednesday by its top law enforcement official. The legislation, if enacted, would also put the legal age for purchasing and possessing tobacco and nicotine-vapor products on an equal footing with the state's minimum drinking age of 21, with the goal of restricting access to teens and lowering healthcare expenses. The measure, however, would cost the state some $20 million a year in estimated tax revenue. …

Europe’s tuberculosis hub Britain seeks to wipe out the disease

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) – Health authorities launched an 11.5 million pounds plan on Monday to tackle Britain's persistent tuberculosis (TB) problem, seeking to wipe the contagious lung disease out altogether. Britain has one of the highest TB rates in western Europe and London is known as the continent's “TB capital”. If current trends continue, England alone will have more TB cases than the whole of the U.S. in two years. “TB should be consigned to the past, and yet it is occurring in England at higher rates than most of Western Europe,” said Paul Cosford, a director at the government's health agency, Public Health England (PHE).

Two die of bird flu in China

Two people have died of the H7N9 strain of avian flu in China's eastern province of Fujian, state media said Saturday, quoting local health officials. Fujian has confirmed 15 cases since the start of 2015, Xinhua news agency reported. Another human infection was reported in the adjacent province of Jiangxi on Friday, Xinhua said, while both the municipality of Shanghai and neighbouring Zhejiang province have reported cases “this winter”. Cases of the virus accelerated in China in 2014, with statistics compiled by health authorities in Beijing showing 310 cases were diagnosed on the mainland from January until December 10, including 132 deaths.

U.S. Supreme Court allows Oklahoma to proceed with execution

(Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court allowed Oklahoma to proceed with an execution planned for Thursday, which would be the state’s first since a flawed execution in April 2014 led to widespread criticism. In a decision released on Thursday, the court denied an appeal for a stay, with four of the nine justices dissenting. Oklahoma plans to execute convicted murderer and rapist Charles Warner later on Thursday. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Indian court allows marine charged with murder to extend stay in Italy

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India's top court on Wednesday allowed one of two Italian marines facing murder charges to extend his stay in his home country after heart surgery, further delaying the start of a trial that strained diplomatic relations. Massimiliano Latorre was granted permission to remain in Italy for a further three months, reversing a decision last month by the court that he needed to return.”He was advised by the doctors in Italy not to travel for three months and to take complete bed rest,” K.T.S. Tulsi, a lawyer for the marine, said. …

FDA launches project to cut quality control lapses at drugmakers

By Toni Clarke WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched an initiative on Monday aimed at reducing lapses in quality control at pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. Dr. Janet Woodcock, head of the FDA’s pharmaceuticals division, said at a news conference that the project, some 10 years in the making, is designed to establish consistent quality standards for all drugs, whether brand name or generic. The FDA has established an Office of Pharmaceutical Quality that will be responsible for some 10,000 decisions a year and manage the process. …

Medical charity MSF opens Ebola clinic for pregnant women

By Umaru Fofana FREETOWN (Reuters) – Medical charity Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF) has opened the first care centre in the current Ebola epidemic for pregnant women, whose survival rate from the virus is virtually zero, the charity said on Saturday. There is currently one patient in the clinic, which is perched on a hill in the compound of a disused Methodist boys high school in the Sierra Leone capital. …

Florida medical marijuana backers seek law, ballot drive in 2016

By Bill Cotterell TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) – The push to legalize medical marijuana in Florida continues with a two-pronged campaign, supporters said on Friday, sharing plans to mount another ballot drive in 2016 as a way to pressure state lawmakers to consider legislation permitting prescription pot. A constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana in Florida last year fell just short of the 60 percent approval needed to pass in the state. …

5 things to look for as govt writes new dietary advice

WASHINGTON (AP) — You’ve heard it before: Eat fewer calories, more fruits and more vegetables. Those recurring themes as well as some new advice about sugar, salt, meat and caffeine could be part of the government’s upcoming dietary guidelines for healthy eating.