As the 2024 election approaches, vaping industry advocate Tony Abboud warns that Democratic efforts to crack down on vaping products and smoking alternatives could backfire in key swing states. According to Abboud, a significant number of voters see access to tobacco alternatives as a decisive issue, particularly in light of recent moves by state and federal governments to limit their availability.
Abboud, the Executive Director of the Vapor Technology Association (VTA), has been speaking to media in advance of the election about the frustration many vape users feel toward policies that threaten their access to what they tell pollsters is a critical tool in their efforts to quit smoking.
"Those consumers are the ones using flavored vaping products to help them quit smoking," Abboud said. "This is the first thing that has helped so many smokers who have tried to quit over many years—it's the first thing that's really helped them succeed."
The Impact of Government Actions
Abboud points to recent government action against vaping and alternative nicotine products as part of the problem. He says the push to ban flavored e-cigarettes is not science-based, and has therefore become a focal point for many consumers in the election.
Democratic lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have called for a federal ban on the products, citing public health concerns, particularly among youth. However, the VTA says former President Trump's decision in 2019 not to ban flavors but to raise the legal age for vaping to 21 helped reduce youth vaping while preserving access for adults who rely on the products as a smoking cessation tool.
Polling data supports the idea that government crackdowns may not be popular. A recent poll by VTA found that voters favor reforms over bans. In key swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, between 58% and 60% of voters said they believe that vaping products should remain available, with the focus on harm reduction rather than prohibition.
Vaping's Role in Smoking Cessation
Vaping advocates maintain that vaping and other nicotine alternatives have played a role in helping smokers quit traditional cigarettes. "What we’re talking about is a product that has changed people's lives," Abboud said.
In Britain, physicians have supported e-cigarettes as a useful alternative to smoking. The Royal College of Physicians recently endorsed e-cigarettes for smokers unable to quit using other methods, arguing that the products can prevent smoking-related deaths and disease.
Public opinion in Britain may offer insight into future U.S. trends. A recent survey in the UK indicated that the majority of consumers favor keeping vaping products accessible and regulated for adult use. This view is gradually influencing attitudes in the U.S., where voters are beginning to see vaping as a safer alternative to smoking rather than a public health threat.
At the same time, use of vaping products by American youth is declining. According to Abboud, "the youth vaping rate is now 71% lower than it was at the time the law was changed."
A Potential Election Issue
Abboud warns the crackdown on vaping could cost Democrats votes. He says many vape users may be "single-issue voters" who will align with candidates who support their right to choose safer alternatives to smoking.
"They won’t support candidates who want the government to take away their freedom to vape, or their freedom to make choices over what they use and don't use," Abboud said.
He believes that many vape consumers will be more likely to support former President Trump, who in 2019 took what Abboud says is "a more common sense" approach to vaping regulation.