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Trump's vaping meeting/throwdown is about to begin.
Over a dozen stakeholders, some of whom would like to smack the others, jammed in a West Wing room with Donald Trump.
Over a dozen stakeholders, some of whom would like to smack the others, jammed in a West Wing room with Donald Trump.
Ok I'd like to formally call this meeting to order
Joking aside, at issue is the extent to which Trump will retreat from his announcement in September of a ban on nearly all flavors of e-cigarettes.
His administration has said it might hike the legal age to 21, ban a smaller list of flavors and and potentially exempt vape shops.
His administration has said it might hike the legal age to 21, ban a smaller list of flavors and and potentially exempt vape shops.
Exempt how? Unclear.
Trump has already retreated a couple of times from this. He undercut his September announcement days later with a tweet. Then, some officials thought they'd nailed down a plan a few weeks ago, only for the White House approval to never land.
Trump has already retreated a couple of times from this. He undercut his September announcement days later with a tweet. Then, some officials thought they'd nailed down a plan a few weeks ago, only for the White House approval to never land.
On the one side are health advocates, who say kids in particular are being harmed by a surge in vaping. They want restrictions, including a ban of all flavors but tobacco.
On the other side is the industry as well as individual vape shop owners - both big and small businesses, essentially - who see this variously as a freedom issue, a health issue (vaping better than smoking) and a political issue.
This leaves Trump trying to thread the needle, doing something that responds to a rise in illnesses and deaths, without shuttering stores and triggering political backlash among vaping advocates.
(He started talking more about the risk of job losses lately.)
(He started talking more about the risk of job losses lately.)
No fighting yet.
...there was arguing. Much arguing.
Trump called the pool in for an HOUR to witness basically a live debate on vaping. He seems to have decided to raise the age to 21, is concerned about counterfeits surging if he bans flavors, but says he is worried about kids' health.
Trump called the pool in for an HOUR to witness basically a live debate on vaping. He seems to have decided to raise the age to 21, is concerned about counterfeits surging if he bans flavors, but says he is worried about kids' health.
The recap of the meeting: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-22/vaping-fight-hits-fever-pitch-with-meeting-at-the-white-house
Oh and also he joked about firing Azar: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-23/trump-joked-about-firing-azar-after-white-house-vaping-meeting
