U.S. Conservative Commentator Charlie Kirk on Vaping Policy: Crackdown on Independent Vape Firms Could Force Adult Users Back to Cigarettes and the Black Market

2Firsts, September 11, 2025 - According to a report from RFI and the Washington Times, on September 10, Charlie Kirk, a political supporter of President Trump, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University. President Trump confirmed Kirk's death from the gunshot wound. Upon learning of Kirk's death, President Trump ordered flags to be lowered to half-mast nationwide as a mark of respect.

According to various sources, Charlie Kirk is an American conservative political activist, writer, and media commentator. In April 2025, he criticized the New York Attorney General for using the protection of minors as an excuse to crack down on e-cigarettes, claiming it actually helps big tobacco eliminate competition. Kirk argued that this excessive regulation would force adults to return to traditional cigarettes or turn to the black market, ultimately harming public health and small businesses.

The following is the essence of the comments:

Leftist moral double standards: Charlie Kirk believes that the left is in moral confusion, adopting contradictory standards for teenagers: allowing minors to access adult content, yet "overprotecting" young adults by censoring conservative speech.

E-cigarettes are a harm reduction tool: Charlie Kirk may not support e-cigarettes, but he recognizes their value as a harm reduction tool and emphasizes that many adult e-cigarette users are using them to quit traditional cigarettes.

The true motive behind James' lawsuit: Charlie Kirk accuses New York State Attorney General James of suing the e-cigarette industry not to protect children, but for three other reasons.

Exploiting political capital: Emulating the strategy of suing Trump to attract media attention and boost personal political standing. 

Serving Big Tobacco: Assisting traditional tobacco giants in eliminating competition from independent e-cigarette manufacturers through heavy regulation and litigation. 

Consolidating power: Forming alliances with big business interest groups to suppress small enterprises.

The interests of Big Tobacco are calculated：

• Cigarette sales have suffered due to the decline in alternatives like e-cigarettes. 
• Big tobacco is hoping to combat this by using policy to target independent e-cigarette manufacturers, then monopolizing the alternative product market themselves.

Impact on the public and small businesses:

• Independent e-cigarette shops and small businesses will be crushed, with thousands of jobs affected. 
• Adult consumers will lose access to a low-risk alternative, and may be forced to return to traditional cigarettes or black market products, posing a danger to public health.

A bigger criticism: Charlie Kirk likened this type of regulation to a pattern of "strangling effective tools" (such as antibiotics, dietary improvements), arguing that it is a way for powerful interest groups and politicians to stifle innovation and competition.