President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE defended his push to ban flavored e-cigarettes, saying the products could be harmful to children despite them being an alternative for some to smoking.

“While I like the Vaping alternative to Cigarettes, we need to make sure this alternative is SAFE for ALL! Let’s get counterfeits off the market, and keep young children from Vaping!” he tweeted Friday evening.

While I like the Vaping alternative to Cigarettes, we need to make sure this alternative is SAFE for ALL! Let’s get counterfeits off the market, and keep young children from Vaping! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 13, 2019

ADVERTISEMENT

The Trump administration announced this week that it would seek to ban all nontobacco flavors of e-cigarettes amid a spike in teen vaping and a series of deaths over vaping-related lung illness.

“We can’t have our youth be so affected,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “People are dying with vaping, so we’re looking at it very closely.”

The Food and Drug Administration is working on compiling final guidance to implement the ban, but Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said it will take several weeks to develop.

“Kids are getting access to these products despite our best efforts at enforcement ... they’ve been going at it so we simply have to remove these attractive flavored products from the marketplace until they’ve secured FDA approval if they can,” Azar said.

Youth vaping has spiked in the past year, with teens largely drawn to sweet and fruit-flavored e-cigarette pods available in stores.

The CDC announced Thursday it has identified 380 confirmed or probable cases of lung disease that are associated with vaping that span 36 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Six people in six different states have died from lung diseases linked to e-cigarette use.

The move has drawn applause from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

“With an e-cigarette epidemic in our schools, this action is long overdue but welcome,” said Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Feinstein 'surprised and taken aback' by suggestion she's not up for Supreme Court fight Grand jury charges no officers in Breonna Taylor death MORE (D), whose state recently reported a vaping-related death.

“We are making it clear in the United States of America that we know that vaping targets kids,” Durbin added. “I salute the administration for its leadership.”