Washington lawmakers

Social Security faces trust fund depletion, prompting some Washington lawmakers to propose changes in how high earners contribute to the program. Currently, high earners may only pay Social Security payroll taxes for part of the year, a situation lawmakers suggest should be altered to address funding challenges.

The FDA recently approved fruit-flavored e-cigarettes despite a memo revealing they were not significantly more effective than tobacco-flavored options in helping smokers quit. The decision contradicts the agency's prior stance that such flavors risk attracting children and requires additional health benefits for approval. The memo also notes Glas Inc.'s age-verification app reduces underage use but lacks detailed data compared to previous approvals.

The FDA authorized fruit-flavored e-cigarettes despite data showing they were not significantly more effective than tobacco-flavored vapes in helping smokers quit. The decision faced criticism from health groups and lawmakers, with an unusually brief FDA memo acknowledging flaws in the manufacturer's data and bypassing prior flavor-risk guidelines.