New York Vape Registry Will Help Law Enforcement Smoke Out Criminal Activity

With the volume of illegal vapes, primarily manufactured by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), flooding our borders, New York is joining other states taking action to protect the health and safety of Empire State residents. Through the state Department of Taxation and Finance, Governor Kathy. Hochul has created a Vapor Products registry, which identifies which vape products may be legally sold. In a recent interview with the New York Post, Hochul’s office said: 

"The registry—used in more than a dozen other states—will give law enforcement the clarity they need to quickly identify contraband, shut down criminal networks and protect kids while leveling the playing field for legitimate retailers,” Gov. Hochul told the New York Post in a January 2025 interview 

Law enforcement officials statewide support the registry, which will provide the clear transparency that law enforcement needs. In the New York Post report, former NYC Sheriff Edgar Domenech explained how the explosion of illegal vapes is harming New York communities: “New York is the capital of illicit nicotine trafficking, and these illegal Chinese flavored vapes have made a bad situation even worse.“ Creating a clear vapor products registry gives law enforcement the information and transparency they need to quickly identify contraband, protect our children and shut down bad actors who are almost always involved in dangerous violent crime.”

Common-sense policies such as vape registries are providing significant benefits in the fight against illegal CCP vapes and the shops that sell them. Not only will the store owners have the information on what is illegal, but law enforcement officials will be better equipped to identify those selling them.