Trump, backed by tobacco industry, wants to reverse vaping flavor ban

Former US President Donald Trump has voiced his support for vaping, vowing to protect the industry following a private meeting with a top lobbyist for the Vapor Technology Association. Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform, that he “saved flavored vaping in 2019” and that he would “save vaping again!”

During his first term, the Trump administration implemented a limited ban on flavored e-cigarettes. After promising to ban all flavored vaping products from gas stations and convenience stores, Trump backtracked two days later in a tweet, claiming that vaping could help people quit smoking.[1].

Trump's 'flexible views' benefit vaping industry

Former U.S. officials and public health experts say the tobacco and vaping industries are banking on Trump’s chaotic approach to public health and flexible policy views. Looming are new regulations on e-cigarettes and a ban on menthol cigarettes that remain in the process of being adopted and have yet to be implemented by the Biden administration.

Following a September 20 meeting with Tony Abboud, director of the Vapor Technology Association, billed as the leading trade association for vaping and representing more than 100 industry members, Donald Trump "praised" vaping on his social media.

The former president said he would save flavored vaping products if re-elected. “I saved flavored vaping products in 2019, and they have been a huge help in helping people quit smoking.”, Mr. Trump wrote in a message on his Truth Social account on Friday. “I raised the age to 21, which kept it away from the ‘young people.’ Kamala [Harris] and Joe [Biden] want to ban everything, killing small businesses across the country. I will still save vaping.” A statement that almost word for word echoes that of Mr. Abboud, accusing the Biden administration of trying to “to shut down small businesses and deprive adults who smoke of their flavored vaping products.” Mr. Abboud added: “We are pleased that former President Trump continues to fight for vapers.”

In 2019, Donald Trump announced a blanket ban on flavored vapes. Then-Health Secretary Alex Azar said the goal was to “clean up the market” for flavored e-cigarettes, allowing them to be sold only after they were officially approved by federal regulators (the FDA). According to Stephanie Grisham, Trump’s press secretary at the time, who has since disavowed him, Kellyanne Conway, one of the key players behind the new regulations, had never been in favor of a full ban. On November 4, 2019, a day before officially launching the measure, Donald Trump backed down from a full ban on flavors, instead raising the age of sale to 21 nationwide. Trump's campaign advisers had advised him against a full flavor ban, saying it would jeopardize his 2020 reelection bid. Vaping was popular among his supporters at the time. At the time, the Vapor Technology Association spent more than $100,000 on negative advertising against Donald Trump to try to defeat the vaping flavor ban.

Since then, the Vapor Technology Association has adjusted its strategy. The group has retained Ms. Conway, who has played a key role in regulating vaping, to canvass candidates on the issue, according to press releases issued by the group.

Major support from the tobacco industry

RAI Services Company, a subsidiary of Reynolds American, the maker of Newport menthol cigarettes, is the largest corporate donor to the Make America Great Again super PAC supporting current candidate Donald Trump. The tobacco company has given $8.5 million to the super PAC so far in that campaign. The company does not appear to have contributed financially to groups supporting Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.[2].

Brian Ballard, a Trump-supporting lobbyist whose firm has represented Reynolds Tobacco Group since 2017, suggested the company make the donations. Reynolds executives have met with Trump multiple times in 2023 and 2024, including at a meeting earlier this year in New York. At that meeting, they highlighted their concerns about a menthol ban. The executives have also discussed other topics with the former president, particularly counterfeit e-cigarettes that they say are pouring from China through the Port of Los Angeles and eating into their profits.

Former company employees and lobbyists, as well as former Trump aides, said Reynolds viewed Trump as their best hope for achieving their goals, including defeating a pending proposal to ban menthol cigarettes.

Yet when he was first elected in 2016, Donald Trump was not seen as a friend of the industry, said a former Reynolds executive: "We all knew his profile: he doesn't drink, never smokes." The company contributed little to his campaign, but it did donate to his inauguration, which allowed company executives to attend a dinner with the new president. In 2017, Reynolds also donated $1.5 million to the pro-Trump nonprofit America First Policies.

The Biden administration, meanwhile, has delayed a final decision on whether to ban menthol cigarettes after political advisers warned the president that it could cost him votes among African-American voters.

Vice President Kamala Harris previously expressed support for the measure in a 2018 letter calling for a ban on menthol cigarettes. She has not made a recent public statement on whether she would continue efforts toward a ban if elected president.

©Tobacco Free Generation

AE

[1] Isaac Stanley-Becker and Dan Diamond, Trump vows to 'save' vaping after private meeting with vaping lobbyist, The Washington Post, published September 21, 2024, accessed September 24, 2024

[2] Isaac Stanley-Becker, Dan Diamond and Josh Dawsey, Why Big Tobacco is betting on Trump, The Washington Post, published September 18, 2024, accessed September 24, 2024