Two seismic shocks have rocked the vaping industry. On Tuesday, Brian King—the embattled Director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products—was ousted, signaling a major shake-up at an agency widely blamed for sabotaging tobacco harm reduction.
Then today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear FDA v. Wages and White Lion, extinguishing immediate hopes for judicial relief from the FDA’s broken PMTA process.
King’s removal—reportedly part of a broader Trump-led overhaul of federal health leadership—is a pivotal moment. Under his watch, the FDA blocked flavored vaping products, sidelined cessation science, overruled its own Office of Science, and approved hundreds of cigarettes while denying nearly all vapor products. His regulatory stance inflicted lasting damage on small businesses, former smokers, and public trust in the FDA.
Joining RegWatch to break down the implications of both King’s ouster and the SCOTUS decision is Jim McCarthy, President of Counterpoint Strategies and lead communications advisor to the American Vapor Manufacturers (AVM).
Only on RegWatch, by RegulatorWatch.com.
Released: April 2, 2025
Produced by: Brent Stafford
This episode is supported by DEMAND VAPE.
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