The Trump administration has announced its plans to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, just mere hours after it was announced that a 6th person had died from vaping-related lung illness in the U.S. 

As most people know well know, many teens in this era vape or know people who do, and these teens are found on campus. It’s a popular thing to do these days, and I can imagine that if the Trump administration were to actually go through with this ban, there will be outrage amongst the youth. I can’t grasp the reason why, since there seems to be more negatives than positives when it comes to the effects of vaping, and we don’t even know what it’s really made of.

The Real Cost is an anti-smoking and anti-tobacco usage campaign that is primarily geared towards young people, in order to both prevent said usage and also offer services to those who struggle with quitting cigarettes or vaping. According to the campaign, vaping isn’t as safe as everyone believes it to be; it’s known to contain nicotine, metal particles such as aluminum and nickel, acrolein–a chemical that can cause irreversible lung damage–and diacetyl, which is a chemical linked to popcorn lung, a condition where your lungs’ smallest airways are damaged and makes you feel short of breath. 

And that’s not all, just a few days ago, the FDA published a public letter to JUUL, an e-cigarette company, warning them for “marketing unauthorized modified risk tobacco products by engaging in labeling, advertising, and/or other activities directed to consumers, including a presentation given to youth at a school.” 

Scientists have reported that the chemicals in certain vape juice flavors can combine with propylene glycol, an ingredient found in many vape juices, and create entirely new chemicals that mix into the vapor that people inhale. Another report states that the FDA believes that these flavors are safe for consumption, but it’s unknown if they’re safe for breathing. To reiterate: we have no idea what’s really in this thing, and yet people choose to risk the health complications anyway. 

No one can force people to stop using vapes. Most likely, even if this ban happens, people are going to get their hands on them somehow. However, I think it’s a great start. With untold number of students on campus already a vaping, I think the proposed move by Trump and the FDA could save a lot of lives as well as change them by preventing addictions and encouraging people to stop vaping. A cherry-vanilla-mocha-hazelnut flavored vape isn’t worth losing your life over.