Ask Liz: Lottery Money, E-Cigarettes and Bubble Gum

In case you missed it on air...

In case you missed it... the answers to this week's "Ask Liz" Friday during the 5pm show:

Where does all the lottery money go? We asked DC Lottery, Virginia Lottery & Maryland Lottery:

  • DC: Lottery proceeds go into the District’s general fund, which is used to aid the cities economy through programs such as education, public safety, and housing.
  • VA: Lottery proceeds are used for public education for kindergarten through 12th grade...
  • MD: Lottery proceeds go to state-funded programs, which support causes such as human services, public safety and education.

What's an e-cigarette and is it safe? The Food and Drug Administration told us:

  • Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered devices that are an alternative to regular cigarettes.
  • They are designed to deliver the same nicotine found in a normal cigarette in the form of vapor.
  • They're normally made to look like a regular cigarette.
  • The FDA says that it hasn’t evaluated any e-cigarettes for safety or effectiveness.
  • However, it found significant quality issues where some e-cigs delivered higher nicotine levels than others.
  • There are also concerns that e-cigarettes can increase nicotine addiction among young people and can lead kids to try other tobacco products.

Why is bubble gum pink? The National Confectioner's Association says:

  • Gum is composed of gum base, sugar, oil, and flavors.
  • None of these ingredients have any distinct colors in and of themselves.
  • Bubble gum inventor Walter Diemer added the pink color to gum. He added it to make gum a fun treat.
  • The pink color is also useful because it helps gum manufacturers know if the ingredients are mixed well enough.

Don't miss a new "Ask Liz" every Friday during News4 at 4 and News4 at 5.

Got a question for "Ask Liz"? Send any consumer questions to askliz@nbcwashington.com.

Contact Us