WASHINGTON — Federal authorities are taking more deliveries of unapproved electronic cigarettes at U.S. ports, however thousands of brand-new flavored items continue putting into the nation from China, according to federalgovernment and market information examined by The Associated Press.
The figures highlight the disorderly state of the country’s $7 billion vaping market and raise concerns about how the U.S. federalgovernment can stop the circulation of fruit-flavored nonreusable e-cigarettes pre-owned by 1 in 10 American teenagers and teenagers.
More than 11,500 distinct vaping items are being offered in U.S. shops, up 27% from 9,000 items in June, according to firmly held market information from analytics company Circana.
“FDA whacks one item and then the makers get around it and the kids get around it,” stated Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a Stanford University psychologist who establishes anti-vaping instructional products. “It’s too easy to modification your item a little bit and simply relaunch it.”
Halpern-Felsher states she is “constantly” upgrading her curriculum to keep speed with brand-new vaping brandnames and patterns.
Nearly all the brand-new items are nonreusable e-cigarettes, according to the sales information collected from gas stations, benefit shops and other stores. The items created $3.2 billion in the veryfirst 11 months of this year.
The FDA hasactually licensed a handful of e-cigarettes for adult cigarettesmokers and is still examining items from numerous significant business, consistingof Juul. Regulators thinkabout almost all other e-cigarettes to be unlawful.
“Those dedicating unlawful acts wear’t promote their criminalactivities, and those attempting to import prohibited tobacco items into the United States are no various,” stated FDA’s tobacco director, Brian King, in a composed reaction to AP concerns. “The FDA and our federal partners are utilizing tools, like import signals, to stop these prohibited tobacco items at the border and to prevent many others.”
The increase in e-cigarettes offered continues inspiteof a record number of items apprehended.
An FDA database reveals authorities “refused” entry to 148 containers or pallets of “tobacco” items last month, consisting nearly totally of vaping items from China. Refused imports are generally damaged.
Through the end of November, U.S. authorities had declined 374 such deliveries this year, more than double the 118 declined in 2022.
This year’s products consistedof $400,000 w