The Biden administration is floating a long-awaited proposal to make cigarettes less addictive by capping their nicotine levels.

But Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchison announced Tuesday he is dropping the state’s mask mandate immediately, a day earlier than previously announced. Gretchen Whitmer to ask whether the White House has considered surging additional vaccines to states with rapidly increasing infection rates. Kay Ivey intends for her state’s mask mandate to end on April 9 as planned, though she urged people to wear masks as a matter of personal responsibility. Eric Holcomb, to reconsider dropping the state’s mask mandate.

(AP Photo/Richard Vogel)With a COVID-19 vaccine perhaps just days away in the U.S., most of California headed into another lockdown Sunday because of the surging outbreak and top health officials warned Americans that this is no time to let their guard down. With the U.S. facing what could be a catastrophic winter, top government officials warned Americans anew to wear masks, practice social distancing and follow other basic measures — precautions that President Donald Trump and other members of the administration have often disdained. The new rules in the state of 40 million people prohibit residents from gathering with those outside their household. California health authorities imposed the order after ICU capacity fell below a 15% threshold in some regions. Current estimates project that a combined total of no more than 40 million doses will be available by the end of the year.