One notable dimension of this debate: criticism isn't coming from just one side of the aisle. The Wall Street Journal reports that lawmakers on both sides have objected to the FDA's recent approvals of more flavored tobacco products, including blueberry and mango.
Quote: "That only makes vaping more attractive to young people." — Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine), at a Senate hearing earlier this month (WSJ, Sept. 23, 2026)
Senator Collins is a Republican, which makes her criticism significant. On the Democratic side, senators like Dick Durbin, Elizabeth Warren, and Richard Blumenthal have been even more vocal. When both parties are raising red flags about the same policy, it suggests the issue is more complex than the typical partisan framing.
Meanwhile, the industry is pushing from the other direction. In September 2026, a group of manufacturers and retailers — including Altria-owned vape business NJOY — sued the FDA over the 2021 rule, saying the agency's "regulatory roadblocks" led to an "insurmountable logjam" of applications that has kept new products off the market.
