President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to back off his crackdown on children vaping -- only two days after he announced action would be coming, with many expecting a full ban on flavored e-cigarettes.
“We have a problem in our country,” Trump said on Wednesday. “It’s a new problem, it’s a problem nobody ever really thought about too much a few years ago, and it’s called vaping. Especially vaping as it pertains to innocent children. And they’re coming home and they say, ‘Mom, I want to vape.’ And the parents don’t know too much about it, and nobody knows too much about it, but they do know it’s causing a lot of problems.”
On Friday, he was singing a different tune.
While I like the Vaping alternative to Cigarettes, we need to make sure this alternative is safe for all," Trump tweeted. "Let’s get counterfeits off the market, and keep young children from vaping!"
As president, Trump has personally "profited from the vape industry," according to journalist Zach Everson, who closely covers what goes on at Trump Hotel in Washington, DC.
Here's what people were saying about Trump's Friday evening announcement:
Hmmmmm, sounds like maybe we're not headed for the ban on flavored e-cigarettes after all? https://t.co/GD7Jt52ocB— Steve Lookner (@Steve Lookner) 1568414260.0
And now the backpedal begins. https://t.co/mX82kATGu4— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) 1568414631.0
@realDonaldTrump "I like the Vaping alternative to Cigarettes." In July 2017, the vape industry held a conference… https://t.co/GLb9YH93iV— Zach Everson (@Zach Everson) 1568414307.0
@realDonaldTrump Maybe if we arm all teachers with vapes it will solve the problem.— St. Nick Jack Pappas (@St. Nick Jack Pappas) 1568414321.0
@realDonaldTrump your deep and abiding concern for young children is touching, mister president sir. now do somethi… https://t.co/cB0wOhqNyK— Jeff Tiedrich (@Jeff Tiedrich) 1568414402.0
@realDonaldTrump Legalizing weed and regulating the market is the only way to prevent these senseless vaping deaths… https://t.co/qx1AR3Lfan— Eugene Gu, MD (@Eugene Gu, MD) 1568414506.0
@realDonaldTrump While I agree with you Mr. President, I don't want you to hurt small time business owners or vape… https://t.co/LixFoZDZdY— Mike Coudrey (@Mike Coudrey) 1568415439.0
@realDonaldTrump Mitch McConnell used nuclear option to tamper with Supreme Court, budget trick to ram through 1% t… https://t.co/ACHfYfAk9Z— ♻️🇺🇸 Christopher Zullo (@♻️🇺🇸 Christopher Zullo) 1568414288.0
@realDonaldTrump But AR-15s, which kill THOUSANDS of times more children, are safe. At least be consistent and say… https://t.co/nqnF7HbLQw— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@Mrs. Betty Bowers) 1568414766.0
@realDonaldTrump VAPE COMPANY CEO: And that's why our research shows that mostly men over 40 vape Capn' Crunch Berr… https://t.co/uOvDESuwkO— Untucked with Jeremy Newberger (@Untucked with Jeremy Newberger) 1568414576.0
@realDonaldTrump VAPE COMPANY CEO: Oh and Mr. President, I have two words for you sir. VAPE FORCE. Just think about… https://t.co/pdhYcTcsBQ— Untucked with Jeremy Newberger (@Untucked with Jeremy Newberger) 1568415102.0
@realDonaldTrump White Claw corrupts the youth!! Vaping is good, actually— Comfortably Smug (@Comfortably Smug) 1568414356.0
@realDonaldTrump You also like snorting Adderall, so let's just lay off the vape thing today, and focus your miscre… https://t.co/Xx2KR22rdR— #TuckFrump (@#TuckFrump) 1568416238.0
