Wave of Unauthorized Vaping Products Enters the U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is unable to control the flow of unauthorized disposable vaping products into the country from China, The Associated Press reports. The number of e-cigarette devices sold in the U.S. has almost tripled to more than 9,000 since 2020, AP found.

Disposables made up 40% of the retail market for e-cigarettes last year, according to the analytics firm IRI, which collects data from convenience stores, gas stations and other retailers. More than 5,800 unique disposable products are being sold in many flavors and formulations, up from 365 in early 2020, when the FDA banned flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes. The policy excluded disposables, prompting many teens to switch to the newer flavored products. Foreign manufacturers do not have to register with FDA, giving regulators little visibility into the Chinese industry.

Most disposable e-cigarettes come in sweet, fruity flavors, making them popular among teens. Hundreds of new varieties of disposable vaping products appear each month, the article notes. An entrepreneur can launch a new vaping product by sending their logo and flavor requests to Chinese companies. The companies promise to deliver tens of thousands of vaping devices within weeks.