Senator Schumer urges FDA to crack down on sale of illicit vape and e-cigarette products from China
Summary
Senator Chuck Schumer has written a two-page letter to FDA's acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas, urging the agency to crack down on the sale of illicit vape and e-cigarette products from China. Schumer requested that the FDA report on its identification process for illicit nicotine products, investigate whether Chinese manufacturers are using chemical substitutes to evade oversight, and use all available measures to remove unlawful products. He expressed concern that Chinese manufacturers are creating "knockoff nicotine" products designed to appeal to children in the United States. The letter cited that 70% of e-cigarette sales in the U.S., including more than 97% of disposable e-cigarettes, were unauthorized products. Schumer also raised concerns about FDA staffing cuts made by the Trump administration in 2025 and their impact on monitoring illicit nicotine products. He highlighted that New York City, with millions of consumers, thousands of retailers, and one of the world's largest transportation networks, must not become a dumping ground for foreign-manufactured illicit tobacco products that appeal to youth. Schumer demanded a response from the FDA within 30 days.
(Source:New York Daily News)