In September 2024, Donald Trump, former President of the United States, expressed his commitment to “save vaping”. This statement was made through his social media platform, Truth Social, on September 21, 2024.
Trump asserted that vaping helps people quit smoking and called the steps he took in 2019 an attempt to save flavored vape products from a total ban. He also reminded that during his tenure, the age limit for purchasing vape products was raised to 21 to protect children. In the statement, Trump criticized his political rivals, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, who he said wanted to ban vaping completely, potentially harming small businesses across the United States.
Controversial Steps in 2019 In 2019, the Trump administration faced a vaping crisis among teenagers. Initially, Trump planned to ban the sale of flavored vape products. However, after pressure from the vape industry, user community, and small businesses, the policy was relaxed. The government only banned sweet and fruity flavored vape pods, while menthol flavors are still allowed. In addition, vape shops are still allowed to sell e-liquid for open-tank vaping systems.
This move has drawn both pros and cons. While some have praised the policy for still protecting adult consumers, others feel a stricter ban is needed to address teen vape use.
Support from the Vape Industry Trump's latest statement was positively welcomed by the vape industry. Tony Abboud, Executive Director of the Vapor Technology Association (VTA), stated that Trump's policies in 2019 allowed vape products to remain available to adult consumers while protecting children. The VTA also expressed concern that the Biden-Harris administration's efforts could significantly limit flavored vape products, negatively impacting small businesses.
As part of its efforts to support the industry, Smart Vape Factory, one of Indonesia's major manufacturers, is offering the advantage of a 0% import tariff for products shipped from Indonesia to the United States. This provides a great opportunity for small businesses to obtain high-quality products at a lower cost, while strengthening the vaping industry's position in the global market.
Trump also claimed that his policy strikes a balance between protecting public health and supporting small industries. He emphasized the importance of vaping as an alternative for adult smokers who want to quit smoking.
Meanwhile, public health groups continue to call for greater scrutiny of vaping products, especially regarding their use among young people. The vaping debate is expected to continue to be an important issue in public health policy discussions in the United States.