U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell said he will introduce a bill raising the minimum age to buy cigarettes, vaping devices and other tobacco products from 18 to 21 across the country.

During a news conference in Louisville Thursday, McConnell said he will introduce the legislation in May.

“By raising the age you could legally purchase to 21, tobacco won’t be in most high schools, presenting fewer opportunities for children to get their hands on vaping devices,” McConnell said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Indiana has one of the nation's worst rates of infant and maternal mortality. Side Effects Public Media teamed up with the Indiana Minority Health Coalition and the Indianapolis Recorder for panel discussions where experts shared insights on how to improve health outcomes for mothers and their children.

For years, transplant surgeons have been reluctant to use organs from people who were infected with hepatitis C, due to fears of spreading the virus. But a new study gives hope to the tens of thousands of people waiting for a transplant.

Panelists at Side Effects Public Media’s two-part Happier Birth Days conversation answered viewer questions about maternal and infant health disparities in Indiana’s black communities. But there wasn’t time to answer all questions. Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr.