1/2/2020

FDA/TOBACCO INDUSTRY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration Thursday [1-2-20] rolled out a limited ban on flavored e-cigarettes, enraging anti-tobacco advocates who called the measure a political capitulation that would cause more kids to become addicted to nicotine. The new plan will bar the sale of all sweet and fruity flavored vape pods and cartridges within 30 days but allow gas stations and convenience stores to continue selling menthol cartridges and vapes. It also lets vape shops sell a broad range of e-cigarette liquids in so-called open-tank vaping systems, which commonly are used by adults. The plan delivers relief to free-market advocates and thousands of small vape shops and vape-makers who protested that a sweeping favor ban would shutter their businesses. The measure will largely affect big tobacco companies that make popular vaping pods, though Juul has already pulled many of its products off the shelf. The larger firms can weather the challenge as well as a costly application process with the Food and Drug Administration that is likely to thin out small players from the market over the next few years.”

-Sarah Owermohle, “Trump’s dialed-back vaping ban angers anti-tobacco groups,” Politico, January 2, 2020 1:47 pm