FDA announcement: 11 companies received warning letters for cracking down on the sale of e-cigarettes at exhibitions

FDA announcement: 11 companies received warning letters for cracking down on the sale of e-cigarettes at exhibitions

The FDA issued 11 warning letters to crack down on illegal e-cigarettes, suspected of selling or distributing unauthorized e-cigarette products at exhibitions involving brands that teenagers like most, such as Breeze, Mr. Fog and Raz. Companies that receive warning letters must respond and correct within 15 days, otherwise they may face further penalties such as bans and fines.

According to the official website of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 13, the agency issued 11 warning letters to several manufacturers and retailers because these companies sold or distributed unauthorized e-cigarette products at industry trade shows.

The FDA's Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) conducted an investigation after attending the trade show and found that six retailers and manufacturers were suspected of selling or distributing unauthorized e-cigarette products, violating the relevant provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. John Wilbetten, director of the CTP Office of Compliance and Enforcement, emphasized that the FDA will obtain clues and conduct investigations through multiple channels, including trade shows, to combat illegal activities.

In addition, the FDA sent warning letters to five online retailers, accusing them of selling unauthorized e-cigarette products popular with teenagers, such as brands such as Breeze, Mr. Fog and Raz. These brands of e-cigarette products have high rates of use among teenagers and are popular because of their variety of flavors.

Image source: FDA official website

Companies that receive warning letters are required to respond within 15 working days to explain the measures taken to resolve the violations and prevent future violations. Companies that fail to resolve the issues in a timely manner may face further action from the FDA, including bans, seizures, or civil fines.

These actions by the FDA are part of its ongoing efforts to combat the sale of unauthorized e-cigarette products in the supply chain. Over the past year, the FDA has conducted multiple retailer inspections, uncovered many instances of unauthorized e-cigarette sales, issued more than 690 warning letters, and imposed more than 140 civil fines on retailers.

It is worth noting that the proportion of e-cigarette use among American teenagers fell by nearly 25% from 2.13 million to 1.63 million during the 2023-2024 period. The FDA has authorized 34 e-cigarette products and devices, which are legally sold in the United States. The public can consult further information about legally sold tobacco products in the FDA's searchable tobacco product database.

As global regulation of e-cigarettes continues to strengthen, governments are taking unprecedented measures to crack down on illegal e-cigarette behavior. From the seizure of more than 10,000 untaxed e-cigarettes by German customs to the suspension of sales of brands such as Relx, Flare, Team X and Funky Monkey by the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, these actions not only demonstrate the government's firm determination to protect public health and maintain tax regulations, but also reflect the joint efforts of the international community to combat the illegal trade of e-cigarettes.