Trump abandons sweeping vape ban with new slimmed-down rules

The Trump administration is dialing back a sweeping ban on flavored vaping products the president promised three months ago, following strenuous lobbying from his political allies and the vaping industry.

Federal rules expected to be released soon — more than three months after President Donald Trump promised a crackdown on vaping amid a pair of related public health crises — include new carveouts that will allow some products to remain on the market.

The Food and Drug Administration will ban major retailers, gas stations and convenience stores from selling all fruit- and sweet-flavored vapes, which have been blamed for the sharp rise in teen use. However, in a major reversal, the agency will allow menthol-flavored e-cigarettes to be widely available, and open tank vapes commonly sold in vape shops will also be excluded from the ban, an HHS official confirms.

The decision is a win for some of Trump's conservative allies, who warned a more sweeping ban on flavored vaping products would alienate the president's base and weaken his reelection effort.

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/31/trump-abandons-sweeping-vape-ban-with-new-slimmed-down-rules-091864