Fox News host Sean Hannity is throwing down a gauntlet over a potential federal ban on vaping.
During his Wednesday show, he pledged to break out his own Juul e-cigarette live on TV if Congress moved to ban the product, saying that someone would just have to come and arrest him.
The Daily Wire reported:
Hannity was responding to an on-air report — delivered Wednesday by fellow Fox News host Trace Gallagher — about President Joe Biden’s push to limit both traditional cigarettes and vaping products. A Wall Street Journal report published earlier in the day indicated an imminent move from the FDA to remove Juul vaping products from the market — and Hannity, a Juul user himself, was not impressed.
Gallagher began his report by saying that the Food and Drug Administration initially blamed Juul for underage vaping by saying that the company’s marketing and fruity flavors were appealing to users who were under the legal age.
“Juul has been trying to get on the right side of regulators by limiting its marketing and banning mango, mint, other sweet flavors. The company even suggested a vaping device that can only be unlocked if you’re 21,” Gallagher noted.
The correspondent went on to say that the FDA’s move was a surprise because Juul’s main competitors have been allowed to keep their products on the market in the U.S.
He also said that though the company could definitely appeal any FDA ruling, the appeals process, and any resultant product adjustments that would have to be made, would “take a bunch of time and a whole lot of money.”
“They ban it, and I’ll do it live on TV and they can come and arrest me. How’s that?” Hannity cracked in response before seguing into the next segment. “Now, while the Biden FDA wants people to stop vaping, many Democratic-run cities and states, they have no problem decriminalizing even hard drugs, even as overdose deaths are spiking,” he said.
WATCH:
"They ban it, I'll do it live on TV. They can come and arrest me. How’s that?" promises to throw down over proposed Juul ban.
— Virginia Kruta
The Daily Wire adds:
Vaping on air would not be a new thing for the popular Fox News host, either — he’s been caught in the past with his Juul still out when his show came back from a commercial break and he misjudged the timing. “Uh-oh,” was his response on one such occasion, as he quickly put the Juul away and went back to his broadcast.
“Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued marketing denial orders (MDOs) to JUUL Labs Inc. for all of their products currently marketed in the United States,” the FDA noted Thursday on the agency’s website.
“Today’s action is further progress on the FDA’s commitment to ensuring that all e-cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system products currently being marketed to consumers meet our public health standards,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D.
“The agency has dedicated significant resources to review products from the companies that account for most of the U.S. market. We recognize these make up a significant part of the available products and many have played a disproportionate role in the rise in youth vaping,” Califf added.
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