WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this month authorized the sale of blueberry- and mango-flavored vape juices made by Glas, the first time the agency has approved e-cigarette flavors other than tobacco and menthol. The authorization followed signals of support from President Donald Trump to pro-vape advocates and the vaping industry by early 2026.

Trump and his administration had previously vowed to take all e-cigarette flavors except tobacco off the market. By December 2019, White House instructions limited the planned ban to pod-based vapes and excluded menthol flavors. In 2019, almost 30 percent of American teens used nicotine.

"The White House went into political retreat," said Mitch Zeller, former director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. He said the softer approach resulted from Trump getting spooked by pushback to his original plans, and that the current push for flavored vapes is consistent with the president's public statements about the political importance of the vaping constituency and his relationship with tobacco industry executives. Zeller retired from the FDA in 2022.

The "we vape, we vote" movement was formed by adult vapers and vape shop owners across key swing states in response to the planned flavor ban. Trump advisers said loosening flavored vape regulations was key to placating young MAGA voters. Social media users reported seeing television ads thanking the president for his stance on flavored vapes.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said Trump consistently pledged to expand access to vapes based on evidence that they help Americans quit smoking, and that the administration's health policymaking is guided by Gold Standard Science. A Glas spokesperson said: "Our data show that flavored products can play an important role in helping adult smokers move away from combustible cigarettes, while our technology is designed to help limit youth access and support responsible use."

The Glas authorization was the final straw for recently departed FDA commissioner Marty Makary, who was concerned about the products' appeal to children. During the final days of Makary's tenure, the FDA said it would focus on clearing the market of illicit vapes made by companies that have not applied for agency review, while allowing companies with submitted but not yet approved applications to remain on the market, potentially selling flavored vapes before full review.

More than 80 percent of e-cigarettes on the U.S. market were estimated to be illegal in 2024, according to a 2024 estimate. Zeller said authorizing fruity flavors is minor compared to the size of the illicit vape market. According to CDC data, 9.9 percent of U.S. adults smoked cigarettes and 7 percent vaped in 2024, with 21- to 24-year-olds the heaviest-vaping adult age group.