Trump administration readies ban on flavored vape products
CDC Principal Deputy Secretary Dr Anne Schuchat is sworn in as she appears before a House Oversight subcommittee hearing on lung disease and e-cigarettes on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The Trump administration recently announced a push to ban flavored e-cigarette products in an attempt to reduce consumption by minors.
President Donald Trump cited health risks as a factor for why the administration has proposed the ban.
“We can’t allow people to get sick and we can’t have our youth be so affected,” Trump told the Associated Press.
New York and Michigan have already issued bans against the products after learning of the health risks behind vaping.
Health officials have discovered a new lung disease linked to vape use, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting a total of 380 confirmed cases. While officials do not know if vaping is to blame for these new health problems, Trump is adamant about wanting to reduce teenage consumption.
During his press conference, Trump informed the nation that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be announcing recommendations concerning electronic cigarettes in “a couple of weeks.”
Dr. Mark Scully, assistant professor of political science, said this regulation could take effect relatively soon.
“According to FDA reports, the FDA will announce enforcement policy for flavored e-cigarette products in a few weeks,” Scully said. “Once the policy is announced, companies will have 30 days to comply. So practically speaking, 1-2 months.”
Dr. Scully said he is unsure what the future holds for e-cigarettes and whether or not this ban will have a lasting effect on those purchasing vape related products.
“There are still e-cigarette products that will be available because they are unaffected by this new direction the FDA is taking,” Scully said. “There is also the chance that restricting access to e-cigarettes encourages people to turn to combustible cigarettes.”
Sophomore nursing major Lindsey Winters said the ban should be put on hold until further evidence regarding the newly found lung disease is uncovered.
“Trump’s ban is not supported by very much evidence aside from the few cases e-cigarettes have on lungs and breathing,” Winters said. “I personally do not condone e-cigarettes, but there needs to be more evidence to back up the banning of them.”
To learn more about the health risks of e-cigarettes, click here. To watch President Trump’s press conference regarding the ban, click here.
