On Sept. 9, 2025, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, a sweeping plan with more than 120 initiatives to combat childhood chronic disease in America. Chaired by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Commission is tasked with investigating and addressing the root causes of America’s escalating health crisis, with a focus on childhood chronic diseases. The final strategy highlights the below steps the Administration will take to prevent youth from accessing illegal vape, THC and 7-OH products, and limit ultra-processed foods.

• Alcohol, Controlled Substances, Vaping and THC Impact: The Surgeon General will launch an education and awareness initiative on the impact of alcohol, controlled substances, vaping, and THC on children’s health.
• Illegal Vapes: FDA and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives will increase enforcement on illegal vaping products, and increase awareness through a shared public campaign that the Administration will not allow unapproved vaping products targeting children to continue flooding our country.
• 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH): FDA will educate the public regarding the dangers of synthetic opioid products such as 7-OH (which is distinct from natural kratom) and coordinate enforcement against dangerous unlawful products being marketed to American children.
• “Real Food First”: Prioritize whole, minimally processed foods over packaged and highly processed alternatives. This includes efforts to restrict junk food from SNAP eligibility.
• Agency Foundation Capture: The HHS Secretary will direct the FDA, CDC, and NIH to review participation in any projects or initiatives funded by food and pharmaceutical companies through the CDC Foundation, Foundation for the NIH, or the Reagan-Udall Foundation. The Secretary of HHS will require more transparency, as well as additional guardrails needed to protect public health from corporate influence. While this particular point is general in nature, there could be an impact on food and drink, as well as tobacco/vape/pouches. More specific details are being researched.
• Food Reforms: USDA and HHS will begin the review of dietary guidelines, continue to limit or prohibit petroleum-based food dyes, conduct assessments of chemicals in foods, and restructure food nutrition labeling.