Indiana
Indiana has a lot of tobacco prevention and cessation work to do, new report suggests
The American Lung Association released its 2024 State of Tobacco Control report Wednesday, which evaluates state efforts to eliminate tobacco use. Indiana scored failing grades in most categories.
The report compares state policies to evidence-based practices known to prevent youth from using tobacco and help smokers quit.
Data shows Indiana’s tobacco prevention and cessation programs are working, but the state still doesn’t have the number of programs recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a state of this size and population.
That’s one of the five evidence-based strategies the American Lung Association analyzed to assess states’ efforts to prevent youth from using tobacco and help adults to quit.
Tiffany Nichols, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Indiana, said the state’s grades look similar to some southern states.
Indiana scored the following grades:
- Funding for state tobacco prevention programs – Grade F
- Strength of smoke-free workplace laws – Grade C
- Level of state tobacco taxes – Grade F
- Coverage and access to services to quit tobacco – Grade C
- Ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products – Grade F
Over the past decade, the state has seen an uptick in e-cigarette usage, not dissimilar to the rest of the country. However, Indiana’s cigarette consumption has decreased 13% from 2020 to 2023.
There are multiple reasons why Indiana has struggled to curb tobacco usage, according to the report.
The state’s prevention and cessation programs are drastically underfunded at roughly $10.9 million a year. That’s 14.9% of the level recommended by the CDC, which is $73.5 million annually.
Indiana’s cigarette tax, which is just under $1, hasn’t been increased since 2007. The highest cigarette taxes of more than $4 are in Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island.
Advocates have tried to increase the cigarette tax for nearly a decade. Lawmakers considered a bill last year to increase the tobacco tax up to $2, but the legislation failed. Nichols thinks some lawmakers might believe it’s a tax on people who are low-income, one of the demographic groups that typically uses tobacco.
“We’re not trying to tax the poor, but we know that it’s an evidence-based strategy that will help many, many Hoosiers finally decide to quit,” Nichols said. “And it will help a lot of young people decide that smoking just isn’t something that they want to do once the price hits a certain threshold.”
According to the report, smoking costs the state around $2.9 billion annually in healthcare costs.
This year Nichols said she’s focused on educating lawmakers so they’re prepared for the budget session next year. She recommends Indiana add e-cigarettes to the state’s existing smoke-free air law.
According to the report, menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars stand in the way of tobacco prevention efforts because more young adults start using cigars with flavored versions compared to older adults.
“Data from the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) show that 64.8% of middle and high school students who smoke cigars use flavored cigars, amounting to 270,000 kids. Menthol flavored little cigars can also easily act as substitutes for menthol cigarettes if their sale is not prohibited at the same time,” according to the report.
Menthol cigarettes are also popular among Black people who smoke, with over 80% of them using method cigarettes.
Nichols hopes President Joe Biden’s administration will approve an FDA rule to eliminate menthol and other tobacco flavorings.
The Indiana Tobacco Quitline can be accessed here.
Contact WFYI’s health reporter Elizabeth Gabriel at egabriel@wfyi.org.
Indiana
Indiana man charged with rape after allegedly assaulting 18-year-old woman in barn
GASTON, Ind. (WKRC) – An Indiana man was accused of sexually assaulting a young homeless woman in a barn.
According to WXIN, 34-year-old Dale E. Bosworth was arrested after he allegedly sexually assaulted a homeless 18-year-old woman in a barn after the two connected through social media.
WXIN reported that Bosworth picked up the woman on May 24 while visiting Kokomo, Indiana, and brought her back to his home after seeing a Facebook post in which she said she had no money and nowhere to stay.
Court documents obtained and reviewed by WXIN state that Bosworth and his wife picked up the woman in a truck around 10 p.m. and drove her to their home. The woman stayed the night and was later offered $100 to perform work in a barn in Delaware County.
According to WXIN, Bosworth drove the woman to a friend’s barn in Gaston, Indiana. While the two were alone, Bosworth allegedly asked if she wanted to “fool around.” The woman told law enforcement she did not respond to the question. Bosworth then allegedly began rubbing her back and unzipped his overalls.
WXIN reported that Bosworth is accused of sexually assaulting the woman until he heard a noise near the barn. He later allegedly told his friend that the woman was refusing to work and that he needed to take her back to his home.
During the drive back to Marion, Indiana, the woman used the “Texty” app to contact Grant County 911 and reported that she had been raped, according to WXIN.
Authorities in Grant County then contacted the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies later located and stopped Bosworth’s vehicle, per the report.
While being questioned by investigators, Bosworth reportedly admitted that the woman had stayed at his home. Court documents reviewed by WXIN state that he spent “well over 20 minutes” explaining how he came to be alone with the alleged victim while denying any sexual contact.
When asked whether his DNA would be found on the woman’s body, Bosworth allegedly admitted to certain sexual acts. According to WXIN, he told investigators that the woman “did not say yes or no” when he asked her to undress and engage in sexual intercourse, but claimed she “looked at him” when he asked.
Authorities said Bosworth later admitted to portions of the assault after initially providing false statements and reportedly told investigators that “cops freak him out,” according to the report.
Bosworth was arrested and charged with the following, per WXIN:
According to WXIN, investigators determined that Bosworth knowingly and intentionally caused the woman to submit to sexual conduct, which constitutes rape under Indiana law.
He is being held without bond at the Delaware County Jail, WXIN reported.
Indiana
Jeffrey Kessler Questions NCAA Consistency Using Indiana Coach Betting Case
During closing arguments in Brendan Sorsby’s injunction hearing on Monday, Sorsby’s attorney Jeffrey Kessler pointed to a recent NCAA gambling case involving former Indiana assistant volleyball coach Brett Agne. Kessler argued it demonstrated a stark contrast in how the NCAA has handled gambling-related violations with different cases.
Details in Agne Case
Kessler referenced Agne, who, according to NCAA findings, placed more than 700 sports wagers totaling over $327,000 during a five-month period while employed by Indiana. NCAA investigators determined that 27 of those wagers involved Indiana football and men’s basketball games.
Despite Agne admitting he knowingly engaged in prohibited sports wagering activity after receiving NCAA gambling education, the NCAA’s negotiated resolution stopped short of a lengthy suspension. Instead, the penalties included a two-year show-cause order with a mandatory sports betting education, a requirement that he provide gambling education to his peers, and a suspension of only 10 regular-season matches, roughly 30 percent of Indiana’s volleyball season.
“A two-year show-cause order for Agne, in which any employing member school must require Agne to complete meaningful sports betting education and provide sports betting education to his peers,” the NCAA’s penalty summary stated.
How It Compares/Differs from Sorsby’s Case
Kessler used the case to argue that the NCAA has previously treated gambling violations as opportunities for education and rehabilitation rather than imposing season-long competitive penalties.
The comparison was particularly notable given Brendan Sorsby’s circumstances. The Texas Tech quarterback recently completed a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction and has publicly detailed his recovery efforts since completing the program. Kessler argued that while Agne’s case resulted in educational requirements and a limited suspension despite hundreds of wagers and more than $327,000 in betting activity, Sorsby faces the possibility of losing the rest of his collegiate eligibility.
The comparison became even more notable when examining how the NCAA described Agne’s defense. According to the NCAA report, Agne stated that he used an unregulated computer program that automatically placed wagers based on an algorithm and claimed he was unaware of which games were being bet on, including the Indiana contests. Agne did not bet on his own team as Sorsby did, but Agne also did not acknowledge knowing which bets he was placing — a key distinction from Sorsby.
“Agne stated that he used an unregulated computer program to place bets on games automatically based on an algorithm, and as a result, he was not aware of which games he was betting on, including the Indiana games,” the NCAA’s report stated.
Also on Monday, Kessler emphasized Sorsby’s treatment efforts, revealing during the hearing that a Level-1 gambling treatment specialist diagnosed the Texas Tech quarterback with both a gambling addiction and an anxiety disorder while he was receiving residential care. Kessler argued that Sorsby’s case should be viewed through the lens of treatment and recovery, noting that Sorsby has acknowledged his mistakes rather than attempting to distance himself from them.
Closing
Whether Judge Ken Curry ultimately agrees with Kessler’s comparison remains to be seen, but the Indiana case served as a centerpiece of Kessler’s closing argument on Monday. A decision on Brendan Sorsby’s request for injunctive relief is expected in the coming days, with the ruling potentially determining whether the Texas Tech quarterback will be able to continue his collegiate career.
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Indiana
Nicolas Cage to make his first U.S. comic convention appearance in Indiana
Catch everything that went on at day 1 of the Indiana Comic Convention
Day 1 of the 2025 Indiana Comic Convention is in the books. IndyStar reporter John Tufts gives you an inside look of everything that went on.
Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage is making his U.S. comic con scene debut, appearing at the Indiana Comic Convention this week.
Fans can meet Cage and get an autograph or photo with him during the June 5-7 event taking place at the Indiana Convention Center.
The appearance marks Cage’s first at a U.S. comic convention. The 62-year-old actor, who has starred in movies spanning romance, action and superhero genres over more than 40 years, appeared at the Osaka Comic Convention in 2025.
Cage’s Indiana visit comes after the May 27 release on Prime Video of “Spider-Noir,” the live-action superhero series he leads. He voiced the character in the 2018 animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” and will reprise the role in 2027’s “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.”
Among his other superhero genre movie roles are Big Daddy in “Kick-Ass” and Johnny Blaze in Marvel’s Ghost Rider franchise. He was set to star in director Tim Burton’s scrapped Superman movie in the 1990s. Fans finally got to see him on the big screen as the Man of Steel when he cameoed in “The Flash” in 2024.
Cage, whose movies have grossed more than $6.4 billion, also starred in “National Treasure,” “The Rock,” “Face/Off,” “Con Air,” “Valley Girl,” “Raising Arizona,” “Adaptation” and “Leaving Las Vegas,” for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor.
“Nicolas Cage is one of the most accomplished and recognizable actors in the world, and to have him choose Indiana Comic Convention as his first fan convention is huge for fans and a tribute to the reputation they’ve built for treating celebrity attendees with so much love and respect,” show producer Dan Farr said in an announcement of the appearance.
Watch ‘Spider-Noir’ on Prime
How much is a Nicolas Cage photo op?
Indiana Comic Convention features celebrities, authors, comic creators and exhibitors that cater to a wide spectrum of interests and fandoms, including comic books, magazines, toys, games, anime, manga, cosplay, artwork, sketches and apparel.
In-person Nicolas Cage autographs will cost $400. Photo ops are $250. A pre-signed autograph is $225. A photo op/pre-signed autobiography bundle is $450.
Tickets and photo ops are available now at indianacomicconvention.com.
Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com:@cherylvjackson or Bluesky:@cherylvjackson.bsky.social.
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