Donald Trump has reportedly gone cold on implementing restrictions on flavored vaping products after he was warned of the political fallout among his libertarian supporters. In September, Trump said he was moving to ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes in an effort to curb teenage vaping, but The New York Times reports the plan has been set aside out of fear of alienating voters. Even a watered-down version of the ban, which exempted menthol flavors, has reportedly been set aside. The flavor ban has become a “proxy issue” for the 2020 campaign, the Times reports, dividing those who believe Trump should focus on trying to win back suburban women against those who believe the path to victory lies in energizing his base. More than 2,000 people are believed to have been diagnosed with vaping-related lung illnesses in the U.S., causing more than 40 deaths.
