Hunter Biden puffs on a vape and breaks into a coughing fit while shoe shopping with friends in Malibu

Hunter Biden can't seem to kick his smoking habit, but instead of crack he's puffing on a vape. 

DailyMail.com spotted the First Son, 54, enjoying coffee with friends, vaping and going on a shoe shopping spree on a sunny afternoon in Malibu this month. 

The son of President Joe Biden was escorted by a crew of Secret Service agents who chauffeured him to the meet up with two male friends. 

Despite his litany of scandals and legal troubles, Hunter seemed in great spirits and could be seen laughing and joking, before breaking into a coughing fit from the vape. 

DailyMail.com spotted Hunter Biden puffing from a vape before breaking into a coughing fit while out with friends in Malibu 

The First Son broke into a coughing fit after puffing on his vape. The vape is a far cry from the hard drugs he used to smoke  

In one shocking video, Hunter filmed himself drinking hard seltzer, fondling himself and smoking what appeared to be drugs inside a sensory deprivation chamber

Hunter seemed in great spirits and could be seen laughing and joking with two friends on a coffee date in Malibu earlier this month 

He was clad in all denim and donned his father’s trademark Aviator shades, accessorizing with a baseball cap that was adorned with the national flag of Hawaii 

Hunter and his friend headed to designer shoe outlet Alma Mater Footwear for a shopping spree 

Hunter spent about an hour on his coffee date before heading to designer shoe outlet Alma Mater Footwear. 

He was clad in all denim and donned his father’s trademark Aviator shades, accessorizing with a baseball cap that was adorned with the national flag of Hawaii. 

Hunter was seen trying on several pairs of shoes and then purchased a few, which his assistants carried away for him. 

Hunter's switch to vaping is a much healthier option than the crack he recorded himself smoking on several occasions. 

In one shocking video, he filmed himself drinking hard seltzer, fondling himself and smoking what appeared to be drugs inside a sensory deprivation chamber. 

But now it appears he - like many of the youth in America - is hooked on vaping, which is typically filled with nicotine.  

DailyMail.com last spotted Hunter enjoying father-son bonding time with his four-year-old son Beau, frolicking in the water at a Malibu beach.

Based on his recent outings, the First Son appears to have not a care in the world despite being up to his neck in legal turmoil.

Hunter was seen trying on several pairs of shoes and then purchased a few, which his assistants carried away for him

The First Son is seen being helped by a store associate at designer shoe outlet Alma Mater Footwear

Hunter appeared in no rush, taking his time as he perused the designer shoes 

The son of President Joe Biden was escorted by a crew of Secret Service agents who chauffeured him to the meet up with two male friends

Earlier this month Judge Mark Scarsi determined the three felony charges and six misdemeanor charges for tax evasion could move forward.

This came despite Hunter's attorneys showing up to federal court in Los Angeles last month to urge the judge to consider dismissal of the nine tax charges brought by special counsel David Weiss.

The charges stem from what federal prosecutors say was a four-year scheme to skip out on paying the $1.4million he owed to the IRS and instead use the money to fund an 'extravagant lifestyle' that by his own admission included drugs and alcohol.

The charges span the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 tax years.

Meanwhile, Hunter has also been charged in Delaware with lying in October 2018 on a federal form for gun purchases when he swore he wasn't using or addicted to illegal drugs. He was addicted to crack cocaine at the time and is also accused of possessing the gun illegally. He's pleaded not guilty in that case. 

The Justice Department says Hunter faces up to 17 years in prison for the tax charges and 25 years for the gun charges if convicted, in dual cases that could have a devastating impact on his father's presidential campaign.