Alarmed by the deaths being linked to vaping- a hip trend- Trump’s administration is moving to ban the practice in the States.
E-cigarettes and Vapes entered the market with the claim of being the healthier alternative to tobacco smoking. Targets- mainly adolescents- were drawn in with flashy innovations like an expansive range of flavours, smaller and sleeker devices etc. The uproar amongst parents only started gaining momentum a couple of years ago, which is when vaping was quickly gaining popularity and users, and several parents refused to yield in to what they alleged as dishonest marketing.
E-cigarettes have been sold for more than a decade, however reports of vaping-linked illness started proliferating this year. So far this year, 6 young deaths have been directly linked to vaping. Patients typically experienced coughing, chest pain or shortness of breath before their health deteriorated to the point that they needed to be hospitalized. Many victims have ended up with acute respiratory distress syndrome, a life-threatening condition.
New data shows a huge jump in vaping by young people. The country’s admin is moving to ban most flavored e-cigarettes, a major development that could result in sweeping changes in the sprawling market.
The Oval Office held a meeting recently, attended by President Trump, First Lady Melanie, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and acting Food and Drug Administration commissioner Norman E. Sharpless.
President Trump said: “We can’t allow people to get sick. And we can’t have our youth be so affected.” He added that the first lady, who Tuesday tweeted a warning about vaping, feels “very, very strongly” about the issue because of their 13-year-old son, Barron.
The administration’s move comes as health officials across the country investigate more than 450 cases, including six deaths, of lung disease linked to vaping.
Azar said the FDA is finalizing a plan on flavored e-cigarettes in the next several weeks that probably would go into effect a month later.
Matthew L. Myers, president of the anti-tobacco group Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the plan is a “long way from the finish line,” but added, “If, in fact, they pull flavored e-cigarettes from the market, it is an extraordinary step in the face of a real crisis.” He said that flavored e-cigarettes are fueling a rise of youth e-cigarette use, “which apparently has gotten dramatically worse over the last year.”
Last week, Michigan became the first state to ban almost all e-cigarettes.
