Former president Donald Trump expressed enthusiastic support for vaping on Friday, vowing to protect the industry following a private meeting earlier in the day with a leading vaping lobbyist. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed he “saved Flavored Vaping in 2019” and would “save Vaping again!”
Trump’s comments present a revisionist account of his administration’s approach to vaping, which involves heating nicotine to create an inhaled aerosol. His statement overlooks the significant crackdown he pursued as president, which antismoking advocates regard as one of the surprising accomplishments of his tenure and a contributing factor to the steep decline in youth vaping over the past five years.
Consistency with Recent Financial Support from Big Tobacco
Trump’s new posture aligns with the recent financial support he has received from the tobacco industry. As reported by The Washington Post, the biggest corporate donor to the primary pro-Trump super PAC is a subsidiary of Reynolds American, the second-largest tobacco company in the country.
Former U.S. officials and industry lobbyists argue that Big Tobacco is betting on Trump’s chaotic approach to public health and pliable views on policy as it faces the possibility of additional regulation of e-cigarettes and a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes by the Biden administration. The episode also offers insight into how Trump takes policy positions.
Meeting with Vaping Lobbyist Precedes Policy Shift
Trump’s praise for vaping came just after a meeting with the head of the Vapor Technology Association, which represents more than 100 members of the industry. The association’s executive director, Tony Abboud, provided no details about how the meeting came about but confirmed it took place on Friday. Abboud said neither he nor his organization had made campaign donations to Trump.
Vaping Hazards and Trump’s Policy Swings
Vaping offers a substitute for smokers but presents its own hazards, according to the Food and Drug Administration. These include exposure to toxic chemicals, metal particles, and some of the same chemicals found in cigarette smoke, which can cause “irreversible lung damage.”
Trump, who has long expressed distaste for smoking, announced a sweeping ban on flavored vapes in 2019 but walked back part of his policy after warnings from campaign advisers who said it would endanger his 2020 reelection bid. The rapid policy swings followed a Trump-era crackdown on vaping that began in 2018, as officials warned of a spike in youth vaping and blamed flavored e-cigarettes for luring new users.
Public Health Officials Cheer Retreat in Youth Vaping
Public health officials and experts, including Trump administration alumni, have cheered the retreat in youth vaping that began under Trump. Data released by federal officials in early September found that about 6 percent of middle and high school students reported currently using e-cigarettes this year, a roughly two-third decline since 2019.
Big Tobacco’s Meetings with Trump and Shifting Strategies
Reynolds executives met with Trump on several occasions in 2023 and 2024, including a lengthy meeting earlier this year in New York. The company, which has contributed millions of dollars to the pro-Trump super PAC Make America Great Again Inc., did not respond to questions about the meetings.
The Vapor Technology Association has also adjusted its strategy since Trump’s attempted crackdown five years ago. The group has retained Kellyanne Conway, who was once instrumental in regulatory action on vaping, as a pollster.
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