Trump Wins Presidential Election, What Are the Possible Future Effects on Electronic Cigarettes?

                                         * Smoking is harmful to health, minors are prohibited from using vape, non-smokers are not recommended to use vape*

Almost in the attention of the world, the US election has finally come to an end, and Trump has won the US presidential election again. This result seems to be “expected” in some people’s minds, while others say “not like it.” Accept it or not, one question seems to be on everyone’s mind right away: What impact will Trump’s election have on certain industries, economies and certain kinds of diplomacy? That seems to be the more concerning issue.

Trump said in his victory speech that the country “needs help.” With his victory, it will usher in “America’s Golden Age.” Trump added: “This is a great victory for the American people and will allow us to make America great again.”

No one knows whether the rhetoric can really become a reality, but its insistence on “America First” politics may have an important impact on its domestic and other countries’ economy, trade and many other aspects.

So for the tobacco industry, especially for e-cigarettes, what impact will Trump’s election have?

                                                                                                                                             01
                                                                                            Promise to fight flavored vape but eventually change position

To explore this impact, we have to look back at Trump’s attitude and actions toward the e-cigarette industry during his first presidential term.

Trump’s last presidential term was from January 2017 to January 2021. During his term of office, the electronic cigarette brand JUUL, with a strong marketing offensive, quickly rose and occupied the market, flavored electronic cigarette products began to become popular, and the phenomenon of young people smoking electronic cigarettes has also increased significantly.

In response to the issue of e-cigarettes and youth addiction, on September 11, 2019, Trump delivered a speech announcing a plan to completely ban flavored e-cigarettes, citing the prevalence of e-cigarette smoking among youth. And “there are concerns that vaping-induced lung disease is on the rise.” The New York Times reported that more than 50 people had died and more than 2,500 had been sickened by e-cigarettes.

Just two days later, on September 13, 2019, Trump once again tweeted about e-cigarettes: “”We support the replacement of traditional cigarettes with e-cigarettes, but we must ensure that this solution is safe for all.” We need to get rid of inferior e-cigarettes and keep e-cigarettes away from teenagers.”The tweet represented a softening of Trump’s policy stance from a firm ban on flavored e-cigarettes.

In an interview with reporters outside the White House on November 9, 2019, Trump said that e-cigarettes have become an important industry. The government is weighing the ban on tastes, ages of purchase and the work of industry workers, while revealing that the age of purchase of e-cigarettes in America may be raised from 18 to 21.

On November 11, Trump announced on Twitter that he would meet with representatives of the e-cigarette industry and said that he would propose acceptable solutions to the plight of the e-cigarette industry, with children’s health and safety being the focus. This statement also seems to indicate that the US e-cigarette ban policy may be eased.

From Trump’s two conversations that year, it can be seen that how to avoid letting teenagers buy and use e-cigarettes is an important part of the US e-cigarette policy.

From the first term of Trump’s repeated attitude towards e-cigarettes, it can be seen that the Trump administration does not want to destroy the entire industry, but begins to consider the issue of its normative development from the overall perspective of the industry. Moreover, a total ban on flavored e-cigarettes at that time would also damage Trump’s voter base.

So, following strong opposition from industry stakeholders, small business owners and adult e-cigarette users who use e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool, the Trump administration scaled back the proposed ban.

However, the “FDA Finalizes Enforcement Policy for Unauthorized Children’s Flavored E-Cigarettes (including Fruit and Menthol Flavors)” issued in January 2020 proposes to crack down on closed e-cigarettes with fruit and menthol flavors, but excluding menthol and tobacco flavors. This has basically laid the foundation for the policy of flavored e-cigarette products in the United States from 2020 to date.

Commentators at The <<New York Times>> argued that Trump’s several shifts in attitude toward e-cigarettes reflected his stance on balancing public health and economic impact.

                                                                                                                                             02
                                                                                                Will it maintain the vape stance of the previous term?

On September 20 of this year, Trump wrote on the social platform Truth Social: “I saved flavored e-cigarettes in 2019, which has greatly helped people quit smoking. I raised the e-cigarette use age to 21 to keep kids out of reach of e-cigarettes. Yet Harris and Biden want to ban everything and put small businesses out of business across America. I will save the e-cigarette again!”

Will things really go as he said? But don’t forget, it was during Trump’s first presidency that the closed-flavored smoke bomb system was banned.

Now that Trump has won the 2024 US presidential election, he may return to the White House next year and continue the previous balance of public health and economic impact on e-cigarettes.

Trump’s economic policies focus on “America First,” advocating tax cuts, tariffs and monetary policy adjustments to promote economic growth and a manufacturing renaissance. Trump’s return is likely to continue his policy of imposing tariffs on Chinese imports, which will put additional pressure on Chinese tobacco exports to the United States.

Trump’s running mate, James David Vance, has consistently emphasized the importance of public health and supported stronger law enforcement to address social problems, including illegal drugs and drug trafficking. Therefore, in the face of the e-cigarette issue, Vance may also support strict regulation and enforcement.

Of course, the current development of the e-cigarette market has changed a lot with Trump’s first presidential term, and Trump will continue his previous positions and policies after returning to the White House, or will there be new changes, still need to watch and wait.