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Trump suggests some flavored vapes may be pulled from market

PALM
BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the federal
government will soon announce a new strategy to tackle underage vaping,
promising, “We’re going to protect our families, we’re going to protect
our children, and we’re going to protect the industry.”

Trump was
vague about what the plan would entail, but suggested “certain flavors”
in cartridge-based e-cigarettes would be taken off the market “for a
period of time.”

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the
Food and Drug Administration would ban the sale of most flavored
e-cigarettes, such as those sold by Juul and NJOY. E-cigarette pods
formulated to taste like tobacco or menthol would still be allowed.

The
Journal also reported that tank-based vaping systems, which are less
popular among teenagers, would still allow users to custom-mix flavors.
The Journal report cited anonymous “people familiar with the matter.”

In
September, Trump and his top health officials said they would soon
sweep virtually all flavored e-cigarettes from the market because of
their appeal to young children and teens. But that effort stalled after
vaping lobbyists pushed back and White House advisers told Trump the ban
could cost him votes with adults who vape.

On Tuesday, Trump
suggested a ban of flavored e-cigarettes might be temporary. “Hopefully,
if everything’s safe, they’re going to be going very quickly back onto
the market,” he told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida,
where he was hosting a New Year’s Eve party.

“People have died
from this, they died from vaping,” the president said. “We think we
understand why. But we’re doing a very exhaustive examination and
hopefully everything will be back on the market very, very shortly.”

But
the FDA had already announced that, starting in May, all e-cigarettes
will need to undergo a review. And only those that can demonstrate a
benefit for U.S. public health will be permitted to stay on the market.

In
Florida, Trump added: “Look, vaping can be good from the standpoint —
you look at the e-cigarettes, you stop smoking. If you can stop smoking,
that’s a big advantage. So, we think we’re going to get it back on the
market very, very quickly.”