In Other News: US adult cigarette smoking rate hits new all-time low; Abortion bans fail in conservative South Carolina, Nebraska

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 29, 2023

US adult cigarette smoking rate hits new all-time low

U.S. adults are smoking less. Cigarette smoking dropped to another new all-time low last year, with 1 in 9 adults saying they were current smokers. Meanwhile, e-cigarette use rose, to about 1 in 17 adults. That’s according to government survey data released Thursday. The findings are based on survey responses from more than 27,000 U.S. adults. In the mid-1960s, 42% of U.S. adults were smokers. The rate has been gradually dropping for decades. That’s thanks to cigarette taxes, tobacco product price hikes and smoking bans.

Abortion bans fail in conservative South Carolina, NebraskaAbortion bans in deeply conservative Nebraska and South Carolina each fell short of advancing in close legislative votes amid heated debates among Republicans. It’s another sign that abortion is becoming a difficult issue for the GOP. Cheers erupted outside the legislative chamber in Nebraska on Thursday as the last vote was counted. Opponents of the bill waved signs and chanted, “Whose house? Our house!” In South Carolina, Thursday’s vote was the third attempt since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer to strict bans on abortion. Fourteen states have bans in place on abortion at all stages of pregnancy.

Indy, Barbie, ‘Fast X’ zooming to theaters

Hollywood’s summer movie season kicks off on May 5 with the release of Disney and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” and runs through Labor Day. Since “Jaws,” the summer season has been the most important for the moviemaking industry and typically accounts for around 40% of a year’s domestic box office. Pre-pandemic, data from Comscore shows that usually meant more than $4 billion in ticket sales. Last year hit $3.4 billion. But the industry is feeling optimistic. This summer the number of large-scale releases match 2019’s levels, and there’s a wide range of films from the latest “Mission: Impossible,” Disney’s live-action “Little Mermaid” and Margot Robbie as “Barbie.”