Donald Trump's concerns about the black market could be crucial for US vejp companies. This became clear this weekend after representatives of e-cigarette companies and other organizations debated the issue of flavoured e-juice with the President at the White House.
The purpose of the meeting was to allow all interests to be heard ahead of the upcoming regulation of flavored e-juice, according to Donald Trump.
"Many opinions and voices must be heard in this debate. We must protect our children from harm, but at the same time consider the jobs that industry creates." said Donald Trump
The question of a ban on flavored e-juice has been in the news since two months ago, when the President announced that the administration was working on a proposal that would "clear the market" of flavors that could attract young people to use e-cigarettes.
Several health groups, traditionally supportive of other forms of smoking cessation methods, applauded the statement. Other more liberal health commentators pointed to the risk of vejp users returning to cigarettes or obtaining the products via the black market instead. November 4 demonstrated thousands of vejpare, activists and industry organizations outside the White House for the right to quit smoking on your own terms.
"A flavor ban would force the majority of the country's 13,500 smaller vejpshops to close. Nearly 150,000 jobs would be lost." said Tony Abboud from the Vaping Technology Association, VTA to the President during the meeting.
VTA published a recent report who predicted the consequences of a flavour ban for their members, the SMEs that are at the heart of the growing e-cigarette market at local level. According to the VTA, local vejpshoppers make up over half of the market. The e-juices are their main product and varied flavors, in addition to menthol and tobacco flavors, account for over 90% of sales.
"No company can stand to lose 90% of its sales", Tony Abboud told President Trump.
However, the report was challenged by some commentators who argued that adult smokers really didn't need to have anything other than tobacco and menthol flavors in their vejpdon.
"A flavor ban would certainly not affect adult smokers who want to quit" said Senator Mit Romney, a statement that caused the comment sections of the CNN-televised debate to explode.
One of the largest vejp companies in the US, JUUL, which is considered to be responsible for a very large share of sales to young people, has previously backed away from the debate by removing most of the flavors from its range. However, this has not reduced sales. JUUL's closed systems have a nicotine content of 50mg/ml and the company admitted that sales have actually increased, even without flavors.
This surprised Donald Trump.
Greg Conley representing the American Vaping Association, provided an alternative explanation for youth vaping.
"JUUL has tripled its sales. The point is not the flavors, but the high nicotine content of the products," said Greg Conley.
The American Vaping Association and the VTA have proposed more liberal legislation, with higher age limits, restriction of nicotine strengths in general trade and tough rules on marketing. The proposal was presented to Trump after the meeting.
Donald Trump said that a higher age limit is highly likely in the near future.
He also repeatedly asked representatives of the prohibitionist side whether they saw any solution other than a pure ban on flavors. Of the groups participating in the debate, the answer was no.
"But bans don't solve problems, we've seen that in the past, for example with alcohol," said the President. "If people want something, and it's not on the market, they will get it anyway. Unless vejp companies are allowed to sell controlled and safe, flavored products, other, uncontrolled and dangerous products will certainly appear on street corners instead. This worries me, and has haunted me throughout this process" said Donald Trump.
After the debate, representatives of the trade associations noted that the meeting with the President had gone beyond expectations.
"He is committed to the issue now. It's clear that the President doesn't want a ban, but a more sustainable solution. And the only thing the opponents have to offer is actually just a ban, no compromise. I hope he sees that we, the industry, are looking for a two-pronged solution: a regulatory framework that ensures safe products in a reasonable way, but at the same time keeps them away from young people," VTA's Tony Abboud told the media channel Regulator Watch after the meeting.
Read more at Vejpkollen:
Trump backs down on e-cigarettes after protests
"Banning e-cigarettes leads to more dead smokers"
US taste ban would affect the whole world - including Sweden
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| Vejpning interested Donald Trump. |
