President Trump hosts heated vaping meeting, discusses dangers of outright flavor ban

President Donald Trump, center, flanked by Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, left, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, right, speaks during a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, on youth vaping and the electronic cigarette epidemic. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

As the number of vaping-related deaths continues to climb, the White House is seeking to curb the emerging health crisis. President Trump held a meeting with stakeholders and industry experts on Friday to discuss potential solutions to the growing health risks of vaping and its influence on youth.
“66 percent of the kids addicted to these products are saying they didn’t even know it had nicotine in it, they thought it was just a candy type product,” stated Sen. Mitt Romney. “It’s the flavor that gets the kids in it, it’s a health emergency.”
Things got heated between vaping lobbyists and anti-tobacco activists.
Industry experts have claimed a widespread flavor ban would shutter thousands of businesses and make it harder for former smokers to stay off cigarettes. At the same time, activists remain steadfast in their calls for the government to enact stricter curbs on e-cigarette flavors.

Chart shows the trend in teen vaping and smoking since 2011;

“The flavors have fueled youth use of these products,” said ‘Tobacco Free Kids’ President Matthew Myers. “It led to a level of addiction that we have never seen, even with cigarettes, because these products deliver more nicotine more powerfully.”
President Trump has emphasized the importance of finding common ground on this legislation. His administration hopes to find a solution that will simultaneously limit youth vaping, support vaping industry jobs and preserve adult access to these products.
“There is a serious problem among our youth and their growing addiction to e-cigarettes,” stated Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere. “This meeting will allow the President and other administration officials an opportunity to hear from a large group, representing all sides, as we continue to develop responsible guidelines that protect the public health and the American people.”

The president has also expressed concern for an outright ban on flavored products, suggesting it could encourage the use of black market products.
“If you don’t give it to them, it’s going to come here illegally,” said President Trump. “Legitimate companies making something that’s safe, they’re going to be selling stuff on a street corner that could be horrible.”
By the end of the meeting, all collectively agreed on imposing a new age limit on vaping products, raising the minimum age to 21-years-old. The president stated his administration would work towards getting that enacted soon.
The meeting came after the CDC released its latest numbers for vaping-related deaths and injuries. On Thursday, they confirmed 47 deaths and 2,290 vaping-related illnesses from 25 different states. The CDC has cautioned the public against using e-cigarette products that contain THC or Vitamin E Acetate, which are both currently suspected to cause illness.

FILE – In this Friday, Oct. 4, 2019 file photo, a woman using an electronic cigarette exhales a puff of smoke in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)