Trump: Minimum Age to Buy E-Cigarettes Will Be Raised to Around 21

Beijing time, November 8 — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that a final decision on vaping products will be announced next week, and that the minimum age to purchase e-cigarettes will be raised from 18 to around 21.
 
However, Trump also hinted that the government may drop its plan to ban flavored e-cigarettes.

Many U.S. states and local governments have already raised the legal smoking age from 18 to 21, a move that has received support from the tobacco industry. In addition, several lawmakers have introduced related federal bills.

Back in September, Trump and senior health officials said the administration was preparing to introduce a ban on flavored e-cigarettes. But Trump’s comments on Friday suggested that, under heavy pressure from vaping advocates, the administration may back away from the plan. Vaping advocates argue that flavored e-cigarettes help adults quit smoking, and that a ban would also force vape shops across the country to shut down.

Trump said, “Frankly, we have to take a lot of people into consideration, including their jobs. Because this has become a very big industry.”

It had been widely expected that the Trump administration would announce the ban this Tuesday, but the reason for the delay remains unclear.

Vaping giant Juul previously announced that it would immediately stop selling mint-flavored e-cigarettes in the United States, after new signs showed that such products were becoming increasingly popular among American teenagers. The latest study indicates that mint is the most popular e-cigarette flavor used by U.S. teens.