Trump and the FDA shamefully embrace the state-government to ban electronic cigarettes and flavored vapes

The Republican Party defends free markets and individual freedom, at least what its platform says. But apparently, all this goes out the window when Republicans win the White House and decide to yield to media pressure and ban things they do not like.

In the last example, President Trump and his administration decided A big government is needed to fight the massive threat posed by: flavored electronic cigarettes. Yes really.

At a meeting Wednesday with Secretary of Social Services and Health, Alex Azar, Trump announced his administration's plan to immediately stop all sales of flavored electronic cigarettes under the Food and Drug Regulations. Drug Administration. S addressing reporters, Trump I said, "Not only [vaping] a problem overall, but especially with respect for children. We might very well have to do something very, very strong about it. "

It's an idiocy of the highest level, responding to a false crisis fabricated by the media.

The Trump Administration Cave comes after a sustained media campaign in recent weeks to try to capture some isolated incidents, though worrisome, to suggest that e-cigarettes pose a threat to public health. the media story focused on the deaths of six people who died from pulmonary diseases related to vaping. In comparison to these six deaths, an average of 480,000 people die every year of the traditional cigarette, and about 88,000 die in alcohol-related deaths.

Even so, the Trump administration 's answer does not make any sense. In many of the deaths that the media has covered, users consumed black market products.

So we repress products legally sold in response to the danger of illegally sold products?

reasonKatherine Mangu-Ward summed up the situation well:

However, excessive regulation has a considerable cost. The ban on the likes of electronic cigarettes could, quite rightly, seem quite unique at first. Yet these flavors have helped adult tobacco smokers in their efforts to get rid of harmful tobacco products. The prohibition of flavors could push these people to illicit sources.

Since e-cigarette products contain nicotine, but no tar or other carcinogens, they offer a much better alternative to traditional smoking. In fact, some studies have shown that e-cigarettes are able to 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes.