Late last week the Trump administration announced suddenly that Surgeon General Vivek Murthy was being relieved of his position and replaced. This announcement came as positive news for vapers, although it puzzled many across the US.

This was not just another partisan flip that happened as the result of a GOP candidate taking control. It actually had more to do with Murthy's views on public health as a whole. 

The Vaping Report

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy made the news late last year after publishing a limited report on the effects of vaping. His report was largely negative toward e-cigarette devices and painted the vapor industry as a threat to the health of our nation's youth.

People on the other side of the issue were quick to point out that Murthy did not even begin to explore the health benefits of e-cigarettes when used by adults as an alternative to smoking. Instead, his entire report was focused on teens and youth.

This report made many vapers as well as small business owners in the vapor industry upset, and it gave birth to a whole slew of anti-vaping legislation which threatens the vapor industry altogether. However, even the vapers didn't hole Murthy wholly responsible. Many believed that the report was done at the behest of the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration as they fight to crack down on vapor products. 

Murthy's Anti-Gun Sentiments

While the vaping report stirred up plenty of controversy about Murthy, and made many people turn against him, it is likely that he was removed, at least in part, because of his anti-gun sentiments.

Murthy was the first Surgeon General to declare that gun homicides are a public health crisis that need to be addressed. For many on the right politically, this statement appeared to be overstepping the bounds of Murthy's position and getting dangerously close to tampering with second amendment rights.

It's no surprise that the Trump administration, which was loudly supported by gun rights activists and the NRA throughout the presidential campaign, was quick to find an excuse to remove Murthy from his seat. 

Small Victories

Regardless of why Trump saw fit to remove Murthy from the post, many vapers are still happy that he is gone. The new Surgeon
General will be Sylvia Trent-Adams.

There is some hope that Trent-Adams will take a wider view of the vapor issue and rule more in favor of harm reduction rather than against e-cigarettes altogether.