WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials are seizing more shipments of unauthorized electronic cigarettes at US ports, but thousands of new flavoured products continue pouring into the country from China, according to government and industry data reviewed by The Associated Press.
The figures underscore the chaotic state of the nation’s USD7 billion vaping market and raise questions about how the US government can stop the flow of fruit-flavoured disposable e-cigarettes used by 1 in 10 American teens and adolescents.
More than 11,500 unique vaping products are being sold in US stores, up 27 per cent from 9,000 products in June, according to tightly held industry data from analytics firm Circana.
“FDA whacks one product and then the manufacturers get around it and the kids get around it,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a Stanford University psychologist who develops anti-vaping educational materials. “It’s too easy to change your product a little bit and just relaunch it.”
Halpern-Felsher says she is “constantly” updating her curriculum to keep pace with new vaping brands and trends.
Nearly all the new products are disposable e-cigarettes, according to the sales data gathered from gas stations, convenience stores and other shops. The products generated USD3.2 billion in the first 11 months of this year.
The FDA has authorized a handful of e-cigarettes for adult smokers and is still reviewing products from several major companies. Regulators consider nearly all other e-cigarettes to be illegal.
“Those committing illegal acts don’t advertise their crimes, and those trying to import illegal tobacco products into the United States are no different,” said FDA’s tobacco director, Brian King, in a written response to AP questions. “The FDA and our federal partners are using tools, like import alerts, to stop these illegal tobacco products at the border and to deter countless others.”
The rise in e-cigarettes sold continues despite a record number of products detained.
An FDA database shows officials “refused” entry to 148 containers or pallets of “tobacco” goods last month, consisting almost entirely of vaping products from China. Refused imports are typically destroyed.
Through the end of November, US officials had refused 374 such shipments this year, more than double the 118 refused in 2022.
This year’s items included USD400,000 worth of a disposable brand placed on a list of banned imports in May. The agency’s posted data is often preliminary because it takes time to finalise refusals.
