Topic: Vape Industry

Dr. Marty McCary resigned as FDA Commissioner after 13 months, reportedly due to White House pressure to authorize flavored vapes. While McCary was also criticized by Republicans over the abortion pill Mifepristone, the "final straw" was the vaping policy. The hosts find the focus on flavored vapes suspicious and suggest there may be deeper ties to Big Pharma or the tobacco industry.

The FDA has reversed its decision on Juul vapes after previously imposing regulations that devastated the independent vaping industry. The hosts argue that the initial crackdown, which required $1 million per flavor for market entry, cleared out competition to benefit large incumbents. They link this regulatory behavior to the need for overturning Chevron deference to prevent agencies from "running roughshod" over specific industries.

Sir Vladimir Klege of Ostrava, Czechia, celebrated his 55th birthday by opening a small vape shop after 30 years in the tobacco industry. He requested business karma for his new venture and a "Milf" jingle for his wife, Olga. Klege has been a long-time listener of the program, dating back to the "Cranky Geeks" era.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Surgeon General Jerome Adams suggest that vaping may be a factor in why younger Americans are experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms. The hosts argue this is a targeted attack on the vaping industry funded by Michael Bloomberg, noting the lack of similar warnings regarding traditional tobacco.

The CDC has stepped back from its broad recommendation against e-cigarettes as the "vaping illness" was linked to illicit THC cartridges rather than nicotine products. President Trump reportedly expressed regret for his personal involvement in the vaping ban, which was seen as a win for the traditional tobacco industry. The hosts argue the initial panic was a "hoax" that caused permanent damage to the vaping market.

Senator Mitt Romney has proposed legislation to ban flavored vapes and impose new excise taxes on nicotine products, which the hosts view as a move to protect the Master Settlement Agreement funds tied to traditional tobacco. Meanwhile, President Trump appears to be reversing his earlier support for a total flavor ban, announcing meetings with vaping industry representatives to find a solution that balances children's safety with job preservation.

A long-time listener and former associate of the show, Dexter, donated $241.19 after selling his two vape companies. Dexter credited the show with providing the sanity needed to navigate his business career and requested "Jobs Karma" for his next venture. The hosts celebrate his success in exiting the industry before increased regulation.

Brothers Jack and Chris Genoso each donated $200. Chris shared how the show's analysis helped him transition from the vape industry to designing packaging for the cannabis industry, which he describes as a highly rewarding but "gray market" field.