Sen. Dick Durbin accuses Trump of easing vape rules after $5M tobacco donation

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) slammed the Food and Drug Administration's decision to authorize the sale of flavored vapes, accusing President Donald Trump of corruption as he allegedly put pressure on the agency to clear the new regulations following a $5 million donation from a tobacco giant, Reynolds American. With aggressive lobbying, Democrats, including Durbin, are crying corruption, claiming it would cost the health of young Americans who are vulnerable to the hazardous products.

The New York Times first reported that a subsidiary of tobacco giant Reynolds American donated $5 million to MAGA Inc., the super PAC affiliated with the President, on April 30, and two days later, an executive and two of the company's lobbyists had lunch with the President at his Jupiter, Florida, golf club. Joined by two executives from rival tobacco company Altria, the representatives reportedly expressed their concern with FDA regulation to the President, after which Trump took decisive action by calling up Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services head Dr. Mehmet Oz. Days later, the FDA announced the new regulation, allowing the sale of vapes and nicotine pouches in the country.

The timing of the announcement caused an uproar amongst Democrats who labeled it corruption in plain sight, warning that the real losers are American teenagers. "Just one week after tobacco giant Reynolds donated $5 million to MAGA Inc. and dined with Trump at his golf club, President Trump directed the FDA to authorize the sale of flavored vapes," Durbin wrote in a X post sharing a clip of him opposing the idea of loosening the restrictions. "This corruption is poisoning our kids and unleashing a new wave of addiction on America," the Senator added. 

The FDA's move has come under further scrutiny as the new guidance was issued after bypassing the agency's normal rulemaking process. Furthermore, days after the regulation was announced, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned, telling associates that he could not in good conscience lead the agency that backed such a policy, the New York Times reported. The FDA argued that the looser restrictions will prevent the sale of illegal vapes and substances by bringing the products under the purview of law, while Reuters reported that around 100 to 200 new products could immediately benefit from the new policy. Durbin wasn't alone in criticizing the policy, as Rep. Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island alleged that "in the Trump administration, money beats MAHA every time" in a post referring to Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" movement. 

The advocacy group, ​Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, argued that the guidance puts children at risk as products like flavored vapes would become more enticing to them once legalized. About 1.63 million U.S. teens, or around 5.9%, said they used vapes last ​year, according to CDC data. Thus, in a letter reviewed by Reuters, Durbin had earlier urged Kennedy to resist the changes, which he argued would only "benefit Big Tobacco at the expense of our nation's children." He had described the new regulation as "short-sighted" ​and "corrupt," given the industry lobbying so hard.