President Donald Trump is holding back from meeting with representatives from the vaping industry this week and appears to have softened his stance on e-cigarettes, The Wall Street Journal reported early Monday.
What Happened
Trump announced in September that he was considering a ban on sweet and fruit-flavored vaping products that typically attract younger users.
The president may have reversed course on this, an administration official told the WSJ.
Trump was scheduled to meet with industry executives, and even if talks occur this week, any new regulatory action that could take place is still unclear.
"President Trump and this administration are committed to responsibly protecting the health of children," White House spokesman Judd Deere told WSJ.
"At this time, we are in an ongoing rule-making process, and I will not speculate on the final outcome."
Why It's Important
Trump's new stance on vaping could in part be politically driven, the WSJ reported: banning vape products is unpopular in some key swing states.
Nevertheless, Trump is in favor of lifting the minimum purchase age for vaping products from 18 to 21. This policy has the support of vaping giant Juul Labs, which is 35% owned by tobacco giant Altria Group Inc MO.
What's Next
Trump said in a tweet that any future policy on vaping will consider children's health and safety and jobs. Juul already announced it will lay off 650 people, or around 16% of its total workforce.
Related Links:
Juul Smokes Out 650 Jobs To Save $1B In Costs Next Year
Altria Analysts Dissect Q3 Print, Juul Writedown
Photo courtesy of Juul.
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