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In the US, we have banned the sale of e-cigarettes with fruit or candy flavors. This was followed by raising the age of smoking to 21 years old.

Washington's correspondent Kim Soo-hyung reports.

<Reporter>

Respiratory illnesses seen throughout the United States as a result of e-cigarettes have killed 55 people and hospitalized more than 2,500 people.

Most of the victims were youth.
[Adam Hurgen Leather (18 years old, September last year): I feel like my lungs are weighing down to about 10kg. I am 18 years old, but my lungs are similar to those in my 70s.]

The reason why e-cigarettes have exploded in American youth is that they are made by adding incense rather than tobacco like fruit.

In response to these e-cigarettes, the U.S. government picked up the first rain of 30 days.

Only the fruit and candy flavors that were popular among teenagers were banned, and tobacco and peppermint e-cigarettes were allowed to sell.

In addition, only the cartridge type made by adding liquid nicotine and incense was limited, and the so-called open tank type, which can combine incense according to taste, was released.

That's a big step forward, but it's a retreat from the original plan to ban all electronic cigarettes.

[Electronic Cigarette Association TV Advertisement: President Trump, I voted for you in the last election. But if you ban all selling electronic cigarettes, you will pay for them in the election.]

[E-cigarette Association TV advertisement: E-cigarettes are 95% safer than regular cigarettes. I smoke electronic cigarettes. And I will vote.]

[Trump / US President: We must protect our family. At the same time, e-cigarettes are a big industry. We want to protect the industry.]

The result of President Trump's retreat in the face of elections against such strong industry resistance.

(Video coverage: Oh Jung-sik, Video editing: Jeon Min-kyu)