Trump Warns a Flavor Ban Would Spawn Counterfeit Vaping Products
WASHINGTON — Two months after announcing that he planned to ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes, President Trump on Friday once again raised concerns about such restrictions during a lively, televised White House meeting that brought together top executives from the health community and the tobacco and vaping industries.
“If you don’t give it to them, it’s going to come here illegally,” Mr. Trump said of flavored products, referring to how a “prohibition” would only increase the use of black-market products. “That’s the one problem I can’t seem to forget,” he said. “You just have to look at the history of it. Now, instead of having a flavor that’s at least safe, they’re going to be having a flavor that’s poison.”
But e-cigarettes have been on the market for more than a decade, at least, and have grown increasingly popular, with little scientific evidence or oversight to prove they are safe. Meanwhile, teenage vaping has spiraled out of control, with more than one-fourth of high school students who were surveyed reporting this year that they had used e-cigarettes within the previous 30 days, prompting concerns that a new generation is becoming hooked on nicotine.
The vaping round table on Friday afternoon brought together a diverse group of advocates and lobbyists on different sides of the issue, including Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and one of the most vocal vaping critics; K.C. Crosthwaite, the new chief executive of Juul Labs; Greg Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, a trade group; and Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, who has been pushing for a nationwide flavor ban.
During the hourlong meeting, which was scheduled to be closed to the press but which Mr. Trump instead conducted in front of television cameras, the president tried to play the role of open-minded moderator, asking, “So what would you do?” and appearing to take in all of the information with an open mind.
“Tell me about lungs, come on,” Mr. Trump said at one point.
Throughout, he circled back to his main concern that counterfeit products from China and Mexico would replace those made by “legitimate companies” like Juul Labs, the San Francisco-based company that is this nation’s largest seller of e-cigarettes. “Won’t they just be made illegally?” Mr. Trump said.
Later in the meeting, Mr. Trump asked: “How do you solve the fact that it’s going to be shipped in from Mexico? It’s a problem. You have the same problem with drugs, and everything else.”
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