BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador joined a coalition of states in asking the Trump Administration to continue combatting the flood of illegal Chinese e-cigarettes into the U.S. that target kids.

Last year alone, billions of dollars’ worth of illegal Chinese e-cigarettes were sold in the United States. The products often use colorful packaging, sweet flavors, and video-game themes designed to appeal to teenagers and kids. While overall youth tobacco use is at a record low, most children who report using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days are using illegally smuggled, Chinese-made products.

“Illegally imported e-cigarettes from China continue to flood the U.S. market with products designed specifically to appeal to children,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador. “These unregulated devices often bypass federal review, evade customs enforcement, and contain unknown substances. Idaho is joining a coalition of states asking the Trump Administration to reestablish strong enforcement mechanisms to protect public health and ensure these unlawful products are kept out of the hands of American kids.”

Manufacturers and distributors of Chinese e-cigarettes often fail to submit applications for FDA review before selling their products in the U.S.. Many are intentionally mislabeled to avoid detection by the FDA or U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They also evade inspections and basic security procedures, putting Americans at risk of inhaling unknown toxins.

President Trump cracked down on illegal Chinese e-cigarettes during his first administration, but Biden opened the floodgates for China to smuggle in these dangerous, kid-targeted vapes. The States are urging the Trump Administration to build on its previous efforts to crack down on illegal Chinese e-cigarettes that are being marketed to kids by:

  • Instructing a federal multi-agency task force to prioritize curbing the distribution and sale of illegal Chinese e-cigarettes,
  • Giving Customs and Border Protection the power to seize illicit tobacco products,
  • Prosecuting and increasing penalties for violators who help peddle illegal Chinese e-cigarettes, and
  • Strengthening enforcement at the border to crack down on e-cigarettes.

The States are committed to working with the Trump Administration to hold accountable those who pour Chinese e-cigarettes into the United States at the risk of American kids.

Idaho joined the Iowa-led letter, along with Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, and Guam.

Read the full letter here.