CDC Report Highlights Urgent Need for FDA to Address Illegal Disposable Vape Epidemic

NYTS Report Shows Record High 60.7% Youth Usage of Illegal, Disposable E-Cigarettes

‍WASHINGTON, DC – Communities United for Smart Policy (CUSP) Chairwoman Mary Bono released the following statement after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS). The report shows that illegal, flavored, disposable vapes, which are predominantly manufactured in China, continue fueling the youth vaping epidemic. The survey found that, amongst youth tobacco users, nearly 9 in 10 students report using flavored e-cigarettes, with a preference for youth-appealing dessert and candy flavors.  

“The newly-released National Youth Tobacco Survey should serve as a wake-up call to the Biden-Harris Administration and drive stronger enforcement action to remove illegal, disposable, flavored vapes from store shelves. These products are manufactured in China and marketed to young people with flavors like Elf Bar’s Rainbow Candy and Esco Bars’ Snow Cone Ice. They are also becoming much easier to conceal from parents and teachers with designs that mimic school supplies, cartoons, and toys.  

“While it is encouraging to see overall use of tobacco products among young people going down, the staggeringly high use of illegal, disposable e-cigarettes – up by 2617% since 2019 for high schoolers – is a major public health challenge. The FDA needs a real enforcement policy that is up to the task to address the illegal disposable vape problem that has reached epidemic proportions. That means making sure state and local officials have the backing and the resources they need to identify and seize these products, and hold non-compliant manufacturers, distributors, and retailers accountable. States also have a critical role to play when it comes to enforcing the law and getting these products off shelves. We cannot allow China to get away with targeting our children any longer. The FDA must lead and partner with state and local agencies to keep our kids safe.” Communities United for Smart Policy

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