SC Becomes 15th State to Pass Vape Registry Law to Crack Down on Illegal Vapes, Cut Off Criminal Profits

On February 27, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed into law SB 287, which will significantly strengthen enforcement against illegal e-cigarettes and disrupt a growing criminal marketplace while giving retailers and consumers certainty about the products they sell. 

The South Carolina House passed the bill in late January with an overwhelming vote of 66 to 33 and the Senate approved the legislation on February 5 after passing an earlier version almost unanimously last year. With Governor McMaster’s signature, South Caroline now joins 14 other states that have adopted registry laws, including Arkansas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, which all passed similar legislation in 2025. 

During a June 2025 panel discussion CUSP hosted at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual meeting, Columbia, South Carolina Mayor Dan Rickenmann shared stories about how illegal vapes are flooding South Carolina schools across his state, noting that bags of confiscated products have been presented at legislative hearings to demonstrate the need for laws like SB 287. 

Estimates indicate that illegal vapes now dominate the market, accounting for as much as 85 percent of vape sales. With only a handful of FDA-authorized products competing against thousands of illegal brands, traffickers are pulling in billions of dollars in sales that fuel other criminal activity in our communities. 

CUSP recognized South Carolina’s leadership on this important issue. Set to be enacted within one year, SB 287 will establish a clear, statewide registry of legal e-cigarette products, giving retailers certainty and police a straightforward enforcement tool.