Trump throws out wild Friday afternoon campaign promise as polls show him sinking
Former President Donald Trump tossed a wild pledge at a niche bloc of voters to whom he promised easy access to candy-flavored vapors.
Trump took to Truth Social Friday afternoon in an apparent effort to blow off steam as polls from Nate Silver, the New York Times and ABC News showed Vice President Kamala Harris taking the lead in their presidential race.
The former president directed his rhetoric at a group of people who opt not to light up: vapers.
"I saved Flavored Vaping in 2019, and it greatly helped people get off smoking," Trump wrote. "I’ll save Vaping again!"
Trump's message — delivered days after the Washington Post reported big tobacco was betting big on his campaign — contained several points that do not stand up to fact.
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While e-cigarettes were dubbed "less addictive" in a 2014 Penn State College of Medicine study a subsequent studies found vapers' nicotine dependence to be two times higher and vaping was not associated with higher levels of quitting the drug.
And doctors warn any product containing nicotine should be considered as addictive as cocaine or heroin.
What's more, the Washington Post reported in 2019 the flavored vaping ban Trump claimed to have saved was one he promised voters as more than 5 million teenagers found themselves hooked on the sweet-flavored e-cigs.
"Officials were poised to announce they would order candy, fruit and mint flavors off the market within 30 days — a step the president had promised almost two months earlier," the Post reported. "But on Nov. 4, the night before a planned morning news conference, the president balked."
Trump also claimed in his post that Harris and President Joe Biden want "everything banned."
Items Harris has said she would not ban include abortion medications and guns.
"Kamala and Joe want everything banned, killing small businesses all over the Country." Trump wrote. "I’ll save Vaping again!"