The Food and Drug Administration has regulatory approval over food and drugs (over the counter and prescription) in the U.S. -- so why not tobacco? Maybe it doesn't want it.

This past week, the chief of the FDA (who has a dubious past) stated that he proposed a bill giving oversight authority to the FDA when it came to tobacco regulation.

Eschenbach's reason: regulating tobacco could undermine the FDA's role in protecting public health. I'm not so sure the FDA is doing the best job at that anyway. The FDA does not want to be in charge of products that, when used as intended, 'produce disease rather than promote health,' according to the FDA leader.

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It makes no sense, but it seems that as health care becomes a bigger and bigger issue in this country some of the people who should care about it the most, the doctors, are voting less and less. A study coming out of Johns Hopkins Medical School looked at different professions and much they participated in voting in presidential elections and found that although not at the very bottom of the list (laborers came in last) doctors are shockingly uninvolved in the political process. 1 in 4 doctors haven't bothered to vote in the last 3 presidential elections.

And guess who came in first, with the best turnout of all? Lawyers, of course.

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Bangor, a city in Maine, has now made it illegal to smoke in your car when there are children present. It's not the first to do it either, following in the footsteps of the states of Louisiana and Arkansas -- and many other states are considering similar measures.

Bangor's City Counselor, who is a smoker herself, commented that people smoking in vehicles with children around are as good as trying to kill them intentionally. That's a really harsh way to put it, but I have to say I agree.

Smoking in the car with anyone who's under 18 present will be a primary offense (meaning you can get pulled over for that reason alone) when the law goes into effect next week, and will cost you up to $50 in fines.

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