U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin questioned National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya on May 21 regarding the Trump Administration’s approach to regulating flavored e-cigarettes and protecting children from nicotine addiction. During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Durbin raised concerns about recent actions by the administration, including authorizing non-tobacco or menthol-flavored vaping products and permitting unauthorized e-cigarettes to remain on the market, which led to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary’s resignation.
Durbin began his remarks by recalling his father’s death from lung cancer, which motivated him to challenge tobacco companies during his congressional career. “I was a sophomore in high school, 14 years old. My father had lung cancer, and he died at age 53. I stood by his hospital bed and felt helpless and destroyed as a kid. I never forgot that experience, and I never will. So, when it came to Congress, I decided to take on Big Tobacco,” Durbin said.
He questioned Dr. Nora Volkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse about the dangers of vaping for children; Volkow confirmed that vaping is dangerous due to nicotine content and highlighted children’s vulnerability to addiction. Durbin then pressed Bhattacharya for details on how the administration planned to address Big Tobacco’s marketing of flavored e-cigarettes toward youth but received no specific plans or references to existing research from Bhattacharya.
Pointing out boxes of fruit-flavored vapes during the hearing, Durbin criticized recent policy changes: “Do you realize that the announced policy of this Administration within the last two weeks is going to make it easier for these companies to peddle ‘fruit monster’ vaping…to our children in junior high and high school now?” None of six NIH panelists indicated support for easing restrictions on such products.
Durbin concluded by linking a $5 million donation from Reynolds American—a tobacco company—to MAGA Inc., a Trump-backed super PAC with subsequent changes in vaping regulations: “A $5 million donation from Big Tobacco proceeded the vaping decision…This is ghastly, to think that we are allowing this to occur.” He called for action rather than further studies: “We don’t need a study. We need action.”
Earlier in the week, Durbin sent letters urging federal officials—including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—to reverse decisions allowing kid-friendly flavored e-cigarettes onto the market and joined other senators in similar appeals targeting FDA leadership.
Durbin has served Illinois residents through advocacy on health initiatives such as childhood asthma programs and medical research; he also held leadership roles including Senate Democratic Whip, according to his official website.
