Proposed law could increase minimum smoking age from 18 to 21 in California

A California state senator has proposed a law to raise the minimum smoking age from 18 to 21, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.

Sen. Ed Hernandez stated people who start smoking at a young age can become easily addicted  and if this law is passed it could decrease the number of young smokers.

According to the article this law could also potentially help prevent health issues related to smoking such as lung disease.

According to the article, Hernandez is opposed by groups such as The Smoker’s Club, which questioned the potential effectiveness of the law and stated that many people begin smoking even before they are 18.

The article stated that the Food and Drug Administration and the Institute of Medicine are working on a study to determine if this law could make an impact on smokers in California.

Dean of the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary  in Berkley resigns

The dean of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary has resigned, according to California Lutheran University President Chris Kimball.

Karen Bloomquist, who also worked as chief administrative officer resigned as of Jan. 16. Bloomquist held these positions during the first year after the campus merged with Cal Lutheran University.

Alicia Vargas and Brian Stein-Webber, who are already members of the PLTS staff, will fill the vacant positions as interim dean and interim chief administrative officer respectively. According to Kimball, PLTS will later hire permanent staff for these positions.

PLTS, located in Berkeley, California, was established in 1952 and merged with California Lutheran University in 2014, according to the PLTS website. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and provides graduate education in areas of theological studies.

Mitt Romney withdraws from election

Mitt Romney has withdrawn from the presidential running, according to CNN. Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, announced in a statement on Jan. 30 that he plans to allow other candidates to represent the Republican Party in the 2016 elections, according to the article.

Romney, who was previously nominated for president in 2012, stated in the article he is withdrawing because another candidate may be more likely to be nominated or elected. The article noted that he still may have the power to influence the Republican Party even if he does not run.

CNN stated the next potential candidates for the Republican Party could be New York Gov. Chris Christie or Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Jill Kane
Staff Writer
Published February 4th, 2015