Donald Trump, President Trump, is heading back to The White House. Is this good news for the USA’s struggling vape industry which has faced unprecedented struggles these past few years?
Since 2020, thousands of businesses in the USA have been forced to close their doors, resulting in tens of thousands of job losses. Their only sin? Being a vape company, either a store / retailer or a manufacturer of product or hardware.
There have been flavor bans in New York and California, false reporting on the numbers of “teen vapers” and the long-term effects of vaping. And to top it all off, federal delivery services are now blocked from shipping vaping products to consenting, tax-paying adults.
Basically, it’s a mess – for tax-paying adults that want a safer alternative to smoking and for businesses in the industry at large.
And there’s plenty of other, additional downside too.
Bans open the floodgates to black market products and give overseas, non-domestic companies control of the US vape market. Do you think Chinese companies respect US shipping laws? They do not. Do you think they have the same quality control measures? Again, they do not.
So, now that Donald Trump is back in office, will we start to see some positive changes in how the US vape market works?
Let’s unpack Trump’s historical stance on vaping and try to piece together an idea about what could potentially happen over the next few years…
Donald Trump’s Changing Positions On Vaping: A Timeline…
The Early Days – A Tough Stance on Vaping
Back in September 2019, Trump publicly called vaping a “problem” and proposed an outright ban on all flavored e-cigarettes.
His administration argued that flavored vapes, particularly fruity and sweet flavors, were drawing teens into vaping, sparking concerns of an “epidemic” of youth vaping.
This was when the incredibly popular UWELL Caliburn was banned from sale by the FDA.
As part of this push, they looked to remove these flavors from shelves altogether.
This wasn’t just talk—plans were set in motion to pull all flavored vape products from the market, a move that alarmed both vaping advocates and industry leaders. It seemed Trump was gearing up to be a strong opponent of vaping.
The Shift Begins – Reconsidering The Ban
Moving into 2020, things started to shift. After facing pressure from industry allies, Trump seemed to step back from his initial, hardline stance.
Instead of an outright ban, the FDA limited the prohibition to certain flavored, cartridge-based e-cigarettes (like fruit and mint flavors) until companies could clear these products through the FDA’s premarket tobacco application (PMTA) process.
This decision was a compromise—an attempt to curb teen access without fully dismantling the flavored vape market.
Another significant change came in January 2020, when Trump signed legislation raising the federal minimum age for buying tobacco products, including vape devices, from 18 to 21.
The age increase was intended to limit youth access to vaping products, a move widely supported across the board.
Around this time, Trump also began to publicly recognize the potential of vaping as a tool for quitting smoking. In a tweet, he even hinted that vaping might help smokers kick the habit, a far cry from his initial stance.
Listening to the Industry and Health Advocates
In November 2019, as the debate over vaping continued, Trump convened a White House meeting with various stakeholders: public health groups, representatives from the vaping and tobacco industry, and even vaping advocates.
This was a significant moment.
Rather than sticking firmly to one side, Trump showed he was willing to hear different perspectives, asking questions about potential solutions and expressing interest in the voices of both industry leaders and health advocates.
One of the main points Trump seemed to absorb was that the CDC’s investigations into vaping-related health concerns were largely focused on illicit THC cartridges sold by drug dealers—not legitimate, store-bought nicotine vape products.
This distinction was crucial, and it’s one that continues to shape the conversation around vaping and regulation.
Recent Developments – A New Pro-Vaping Stance?
Fast forward to November 2024, and Trump’s tune on vaping has taken yet another turn.
On his social media platform, he recently pledged to “save vaping again!”
“I saved flavored vaping in 2019, and it greatly helped people get off smoking. I raised the age to 21, keeping it away from the ‘kids.’ Kamala and Joe want everything banned, killing small businesses all over the country. I’ll save vaping again!”
His message? He believes flavored vaping has a role in helping people quit smoking.
Trump highlighted his efforts back in 2019, asserting that his approach back then was aimed at keeping flavors accessible to adults while keeping them out of the hands of teens.
He also took pride in raising the minimum age to 21, which he argued would “keep it away from the kids” while preserving flavored options for adults who might benefit from them as an alternative to smoking.
So, What Does This Mean for Vaping?
For many in the vaping community, Trump’s renewed support for flavored e-cigarettes is a positive development.
By acknowledging the role of vaping in helping smokers quit and calling out the importance of flavors, Trump’s latest stance could help shape future discussions on vaping policy in a more favorable way.
Under Biden, the FDA had enforced stricter regulations, including the rigorous premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) process.
While during the ongoing campaign, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has also allocated millions to prevent vaping among LGBTQ youth (you honest CANNOT make this up), with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) funding a $2.2 million project at the University of Pennsylvania to develop social media strategies targeting vaping disparities in sexual and gender minority youth.
Earlier this year, a group of left-wing U.S. senators pushed convenience store chains to remove unauthorized vaping products, in the name of combatting youth vaping. Sadly, their efforts overlooked data showing declining youth vaping rates and increasing adult use of vapes for smoking cessation.
There’s no doubt Trump’s views have evolved significantly—from seeing vaping as a problem to recognizing it as a potential solution for smokers.
But the main takeaway here is simple: we don’t need anything major, just some good old fashioned common sense. Tax it, ship it, and make it hard for kids to get access to it – same as they do for booze.
Trump’s journey on vaping has been unpredictable, but the latest shift suggests a brighter outlook for the vaping community.
It highlights the importance of flavors in adult use, acknowledges the impact of vaping on smoking cessation, and opens the door to a more flexible approach to regulation.
Whether or not Trump’s support will translate to real policy changes remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: vaping has a new advocate in high places. And that’s a promising development for vapers everywhere.
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