Top HHS spokesperson resigns over flavored vape policies
The move comes one day after former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary resigned his post after a year on the job for the same reason, following approval of blueberry and mango flavored vape pods.
Health and Human Services chief spokesperson Rich Danker resigned his post Wednesday over a disagreement with the Trump administration's push to approve e-cigarette flavors that he believes could cause children to become addicted to vaping.
The move comes one day after former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary resigned his post after a year on the job for the same reason, following the administration's approval of blueberry and mango flavored vape pods.
The products will be manufactured by Glas Inc., which says it will block children from purchasing the product by using age verification methods that include checking government-issued IDs, according to The Hill.
“Senior HHS officials in the immediate office of the secretary have in recent months sought U.S. Food and Drug Administration marketing approval of cigarette flavors that would appeal to children and expose them to nicotine addiction, lung damage and higher risk of cancer,” Danker wrote in his resignation letter, according to the New York Times.
Routine approval of these products would undermine the agency’s Flavored Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Premarket Applications Considerations Related to Youth Risk guidance for industry issued in March "with the support of the White House,” he added.
The move also comes after former HHS spokesperson Tom Corry resigned his post last year over HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s approach to handling the measles outbreak in Texas.
Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.