Senator Murray: President Trump Has Broken Promise, “Sold Out Young People to Tobacco Companies,” With Weak E-Cigarette Policy

In major backtrack from promise made last September, Trump Administration announced e-cigarette policy with massive carve-outs

Murray recently voted against FDA Commissioner Dr. Hahn’s nomination over his failure to commit to putting data, science, and public health first with strong action on youth tobacco use

Murray: “President Trump has sold out young people to tobacco companies by breaking his promise to clear the market of all nontobacco flavored e-cigarettes, and giving tobacco companies huge loopholes for kid-appealing flavors.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement in response to a new e-cigarette policy announced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which allows menthol-flavored e-cigarettes and any flavored e-liquids that are not in a cartridge to continue to be manufactured, distributed, and sold with no FDA premarket review. Last September, President Trump announced plans for a policy without these major exceptions, but reversed course amid pressure from tobacco manufacturers and retailers.

“Youth tobacco use is skyrocketing and families need us to take strong, swift action to address this crisis. But instead President Trump has sold out young people to tobacco companies by breaking his promise to clear the market of all nontobacco flavored e-cigarettes, and giving tobacco companies huge loopholes for kid-appealing flavors. This policy leaves kids across the country at risk by letting menthol-flavored products—a popular flavor category for young people—and e-liquids that are not in a cartridge—including those with fruit, candy, and other kid-appealing flavors—stay on the market without FDA review. By moving forward with this inexcusable policy, Dr. Hahn has failed his first major test as FDA Commissioner, and sided with President Trump in putting politics ahead of science, data, and public health.”

Senator Murray has long called for the FDA to take swift, bold action, including removing all non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes from the market until they have undergone FDA review. She has criticized the Administration’s dismal track record on fighting tobacco use and pressed the Administration recently to finalize the policy it promised in September—not a weakened version with loopholes like the one announced today. She also recently voted against FDA Commissioner Dr. Hahn’s nomination due to her concern that he wouldn’t put data, science, and public health above politics when it came to addressing youth tobacco use.

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