By Emma Rumney
LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin on Wednesday urged Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resist an easing of rules on flavoured vapes, saying the moves were short-sighted and driven by lobbying and donations from big tobacco companies.
Under pressure from the White House, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has in recent weeks softened its stance on flavoured vapes, a shift that contributed to the resignation of Commissioner Marty Makary, raised concerns about political influence at the agency, and reignited debate over vaping.
The nicotine industry and some researchers say flavoured vapes and nicotine pouches can help smokers quit cigarettes. Others, including Durbin, a Democrat, argue they should face strict controls because of their appeal to young people and the risk of driving new nicotine addiction.
In a May 20 letter reviewed by Reuters, Durbin urged RFK Jr. to resist the changes, which he said “benefit Big Tobacco at the expense of our nation’s children”, and described as “short-sighted” and “corrupt” due to industry lobbying.
The White House and Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In recent weeks, the FDA has for the first time authorised fruit-flavoured vapes for sale and outlined plans to allow some vapes and nicotine pouches onto shelves before being inspected by its scientists, easing a long-standing requirement that manufacturers prove their products benefit public health before gaining permission for sale.
Durbin said tobacco companies had lobbied President Donald Trump directly and made significant political donations in a bid to bypass this requirement. The U.S. unit of British American Tobacco, for example, contributed $10 million to a Trump-aligned super PAC in 2024, Federal Election Commission data shows.
Reynolds American, BAT’s U.S. unit, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Durbin and nine other senators also wrote to acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas on May 15, urging him to rescind marketing authorisations for fruit-flavoured vapes.
(Reporting by Emma Rumney. Editing by Mark Potter)
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