By Jeff Whitaker

Mayor, City of Greenville

In my roles with the City over the past several years, I have seen firsthand the dangers and the challenges that our children face every day. One of the gravest dangers hiding in plain sight is the influx of illegal disposable vapes, which are manufactured in China, with unknown materials and ingredients designed to seduce our kids.

As parents and community leaders have worked together, we can be proud that the rate of teen vaping in Ohio continues to decline. However, over the past several years, the FDA’s failure in addressing the persistent and growing problem of illegal disposable vapes has put American children at risk. Unscrupulous foreign manufacturers and their partners in the United States are preying on our children. They package candy flavored, unregulated vape products, marketed on social media and sold without accountability.

As parents and as citizens, we expect the FDA to uphold its responsibility to protect public health. Yet, under its current approach, illegal disposable vapes continue to flood the market, targeting our youth and endangering their future. This battle requires a leader who prioritizes the health and safety of American families over complacency. The next president must do what the FDA has not—enforce meaningful, aggressive action to eliminate these dangerous products. They must overhaul the FDA and hold its leaders accountable to instituteclear, enforceable policies that prioritize families, not foreign manufacturers.

As both a mayor and family man, it’s devastating to watch as these harmful products infiltrate our communities, harming our children in ways we cannot afford to ignore. The next administration must stand with parents, not industry interests, to make America a safer, healthier place for our kids. Our families depend on it. For the sake of our children’s safety and our communities’ future, we need a president who will take real action to address this growing threat and protect the most vulnerable among us.