Donald Trump has attempted to tackle quite a few issues during his term as U.S. President, and now it is being reporetd that he and his administration want to ban vaping. According to NBC News, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar issued a statement on Trump’s plans, saying, “The Trump Administration is making it clear that we intend to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes to reverse the deeply concerning epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that is impacting children, families, schools and communities. We will not stand idly by as these products become an on-ramp to combustible cigarettes or nicotine addiction for a generation of youth.”
The news outlet went on to share that Trump directly addressed the matter while speaking to reporters following a meeting in the Oval Office with Azar and acting FDA commissioner Ned Sharpless.
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“A lot of people think vaping is wonderful, is great … It’s really not,” Trump stated. “We have to find out the extent of the problems… it’s so new … but we’re going to find out.”
The President then pledged that “strong rules and regulations” would be implemented, before saying that he would issue an update sometime in the next few weeks.
BREAKING: Trump admin. plans to “clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes” amid a vaping crisis. https://t.co/smuJxrCaJj
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 11, 2019
Following the news of Trump’s plans for a vaping ban, many have taken to social media to criticize the move.
“So… we can ban vaping products after a handful of deaths, but all we get is “thoughts and prayers” for the 100 Americans killed PER DAY by gun violence? Apparently the vaping industry hasn’t paid enough to the GOP this year,” said Senate candidate from Colorado Trish Zornio.
I don’t vape or smoke so I have no personal vested interest in this but I think banning vaping is a bad move. This opens the door to ban other things: cigarettes, alcohol, anything that can kill us (which is basically everything). The power of personal choice is important.
— Beth Baumann (@eb454) September 11, 2019
“The few deaths from vaping are almost all tied to unlicensed, blackmarket products. A ban on vaping will only drive more people towards precisely the kind of vaping that’s causing the problem in the first place. The government is once again solving a problem by creating one,” journalist Matt Walsh added.
“Can we say knee-jerk reaction? This is so silly… cigarettes and guns kills way more people and we’ve yet to ban those,” someone else offered. “This adminstration continues to be a joke.”
There does not appear to be announced timeline for when the proposed vaping ban would take effect. t this time, it seems to be merely a possibility that the trump administration is exploring.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
