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Friday 3 January 2020
Trump plan to curb teen vaping exempts some flavors

Continued from Front ate approach to regulat-
ing vaping. Under current
Together, the two exemp- law, all e-cigarettes are
tions represent a significant supposed to undergo an
retreat from President Don- FDA review beginning in
ald Trump's original plan an- May. Only those that can
nounced four months ago, demonstrate a benefit for
which would have banned U.S. public health will be
all vaping flavors — includ- permitted to stay on the
ing menthol — from all market.
types of e-cigarettes. The "We have to protect our
new policy will preserve a families," Trump told report-
significant portion of the ers on Tuesday, ahead of
multibillion-dollar vaping the announcement. "At the
market. And the changes same time, it's a big indus-
are likely to please both try. We want to protect the
the largest e-cigarette industry."
manufacturer, Juul Labs, The flavor ban applies to
and thousands of vape e-cigarettes that use pre-
shop owners who sell the filled nicotine cartridges
tank-based systems, which mainly sold at gas stations
allow users to mix custom- and convenience stores.
ized flavors. Juul is the biggest player
E-cigarettes are battery- in that market, but it previ-
powered devices that ously pulled all of its flavors This Sept. 16, 2019 file photo shows flavored vaping solutions in a window display at a vape and
typically heat a flavored except menthol and to- smoke shop in New York.
nicotine solution into an in- bacco after coming under Associated Press
halable aerosol. They have intense political scrutiny. which typically don't admit Incoming FDA Commission- cally said menthol would
been pitched to adults as Many smaller manufactur- customers under 21. er Stephen Hahn said the be banned. But that effort
a less-harmful alternative ers continue to sell sweet, These tank-based systems government's approach stalled after vaping propo-
to traditional cigarettes, fruity flavors like "grape allow users to fill the de- attempts to balance the nents and lobbyists pushed
but there is limited data on slushie," "strawberry cotton vice with the flavor of their problem of underage vap- back and White House
their ability to help smokers candy" and "sea salt blue- choice. Sales of these de- ing with "the potential role advisers told Trump that a
quit. berry." vices represent an estimat- that e-cigarettes may play total flavor ban could cost
The Food and Drug Admin- The flavor restrictions won't ed 40% of the U.S. vaping in helping adult smok- him votes.
istration has struggled for affect the larger specialty business, with sales across ers transition completely Industry groups including
years to find the appropri- devices sold at vape shops, some 15,000 to 19,000 away" from regular ciga- the Vapor Technology As-
shops. rettes. sociation launched an
Still, the new policy repre- But the decision to permit aggressive social media
sents the federal govern- menthol and exempt tank- campaign — #IVapeIV-
ment's biggest step yet to based vapes was immedi- ote — contending that the
combat a surge in teen ately condemned by anti- plan would force the clo-
vaping that officials fear tobacco advocates who sure of vaping shops, elimi-
is hooking a generation of have lobbied the Trump nating jobs and sending us-
young people on nicotine. administration to follow ers of electronic cigarettes
In the latest government through on its initial pledge back to traditional smokes.
survey, more than 1 in 4 to ban all flavors except to- Trump's initial announce-
high school students report- bacco. ment came amid an out-
ed using e-cigarettes in the "Only the elimination of all break of unexplained lung
previous month, despite flavored e-cigarettes can illnesses tied to vaping. But
federal law banning sales end the worsening youth since then health officials
to those under 18. Late last e-cigarette epidemic and have tied the vast majority
month Trump signed a law stop e-cigarette compa- of the cases to a contami-
raising the minimum age to nies from luring and ad- nating filler added to illicit
purchase all tobacco and dicting kids with flavored THC vaping liquids. THC is
vaping products from 18 to products," said Matthew the chemical in marijuana
21 nationwide. Myers, of the Campaign that makes users feel high.
"We will not stand idly by as for Tobacco-Free Kids, in a Makers of legal nicotine-
this crisis among America's statement. based vaping products
youth grows and evolves, Myers' group and others have tried to distance
and we will continue moni- have long opposed all fla- themselves from the prob-
toring the situation and vors in tobacco products, lem.
take further actions as nec- including menthol in tra- Trump suggested ahead
essary," Health and Human ditional cigarettes. They of the announcement that
Services Secretary Alex argue that teenagers who the flavor restrictions might
Azar said in a statement. vape will simply shift to us- be temporary.
Companies that don't stop ing menthol if it remains on "Hopefully, if everything's
making and distributing the the market. safe, they're going to be
restricted products within When Trump officials first going very quickly back
30 days risk penalties by the sketched out their plans onto the market," he told
FDA, including fines and at a White House event in reporters at his Mar-a-Lago
seizures. September they specifi- resort in Florida.q