Top HHS and FDA Officials Quit After Trump-Backed Move to Greenlight Flavored Vapes
FDA allowed fruit- and candy-flavored vapes; FDA chief Marty Makary quit Tuesday and HHS spokesman Rich Danker quit Wednesday amid concerns about youth vaping and industry pressure.
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Just the NewsTop HHS spokesperson resigns over flavored vape policies
Overview
The Food and Drug Administration issued new guidance on Friday allowing cigarette makers to market and sell fruit- and candy-flavored e-cigarette products on store shelves.
Marty Makary resigned on Tuesday after opposing the FDA policy to authorize flavored vape sales, reportedly because he could not in good conscience support it.
Rich Danker, chief spokesman for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., resigned on Wednesday and warned in a letter to President Trump that authorizing flavored e-cigarettes would draw children into vaping and raise health risks.
About 1.6 million middle and high school students were estimated to use vape products in the CDC's 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey, and nearly 90% of them said they used fruit- and candy-flavored vapes.
The FDA has so far authorized flavored products from one company, Glas Inc., which will use a digital age-verification system requiring connection to the Bluetooth of a phone owned by a person over 21.
Analysis
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