Washington D.C. – In the face of record-high disapproval ratings, Donald Trump’s political acts of desperation are sinking to new lows. The WSJ reports Donald Trump berated FDA Commissioner Marty Makary this weekend “for not moving quickly enough to approve flavored vapes and nicotine products … Trump sought advice from his advisers about Makary and the importance of flavored vaping to young MAGA voters … Makary earlier wanted to avoid approving fruit flavors or others potentially appealing to children because he was worried about the public health risks.”
Trump’s rage over not getting addictive and harmful flavored vapes into the hands of young Americans soon enough comes after his inaugural committee took over $3 million million from vape industry special interests, including the Vapor Technology Association, $1,250,000; Altria, $1,000,000; Breeze Smoke, $1,000,000; QR Joy, $100,000. In addition, vape producers Altria and Reynolds American have offered to chip in to help pay for Trump’s White House ballroom.
“Donald Trump knows flavored vapes are a surefire path for American teens to develop a life-long addiction to harmful nicotine products, but he only cares about cultivating young MAGA voters and lining the pockets of his vape industry mega donors,” said Kayla Hancock, Director of Protect Our Care’s Public Health Project. “Trump clearly couldn’t care less about rising health costs, people losing coverage by the millions, funding medical research to find cures, or the sound science behind vaccines. But cut an industry check for his White House ballroom, and he’ll move heaven and earth to approve addictive poison for our kids.”
Trump’s own CDC continues to spotlight a study that “showed that most youth who use e-cigarettes first start with a flavored variety. Availability of flavored vapes is among the top 10 reasons youth report ever trying an e-cigarette. In 2024, nearly 9 out of 10 middle and high school students who currently used e-cigarettes used a flavored product. The most commonly used flavors reported by these students were fruit, candy, and mint.”
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