Washington, DC [US], November 10 (ANI): A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has introduced legislation to curb the influx of counterfeit and illicit vaping products from China, which authorities say are endangering public health and fuelling a growing youth nicotine crisis, The Epoch Times reported.
The bill, titled the Ensuring the Necessary Destruction (END) of Illicit Chinese Tobacco Act, was introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas). It aims to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to empower the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to seize and destroy counterfeit, adulterated, or misbranded tobacco products — including e-cigarettes and vapes — imported into the United States.
“The vaping epidemic harming American youth is being worsened by China’s massive role in flooding US markets with illegal tobacco products,” Senator Cornyn said. He added that the measure would “shut off the flow of illicit vapes from China and help address a growing public health crisis.”
Recent enforcement actions by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have revealed the scale of the problem. In Chicago, CBP officers intercepted over 43,000 electronic nicotine delivery systems valued at USD 358,000, while in October, agents in Minneapolis–St. Paul seized 90,000 vapes and 75,000 refill cartridges worth USD 1.47 million. Earlier in May, officials confiscated nearly USD 34 million worth of unauthorized e-cigarette products — most of them originating from China.
Representative Van Duyne noted that the END Act would “equip federal agencies with the authority to destroy counterfeit goods before they reach American consumers.”
The Senate version of the bill is co-sponsored by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), while the House version was introduced by Representative Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.). Dingell warned that fake vaping products from China are “endangering Americans with unknown and toxic chemicals.”
The FDA has also highlighted that many e-cigarettes contain harmful metals such as lead, nickel, and chromium, and in some cases, deliver as much nicotine as a full pack of cigarettes.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) further accused China of “waging a war on Americans by targeting children with dangerous, unregulated vapes,” calling for stronger FDA enforcement against Chinese imports. (ANI)
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