Press Releases

U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) joined 70 of his House colleagues in a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urging the Trump Administration to address the flood of illegal Chinese e-cigarettes entering American markets without FDA approval.

Led by Rep. Mike Carey (OH-15), the letter calls on the administration to make curbing illicit Chinese vape imports a priority in any future trade negotiations with China.

"These illegal Chinesevapes are a threat on every front. They contain toxic levels of lead and carcinogens, and are deliberately marketed to target our kids with candy flavors and social media influencers. They are sold near schools and military bases by foreign nationals, and their 'smart' technology risks funneling sensitive data directly to the Chinese Communist Party," said Moran. "This is not an accident—it is a deliberate strategy by Beijing. Meanwhile, Mexican drug cartels have seized on this trade as a revenue stream, with federal authorities tracing these sales to cartel operations and fentanyl proceeds. The United States cannot stand idle. Any trade deal with China must include a binding commitment to stop this—full stop."

The letter highlights that Chinese vape exports to the U.S. surpassed $10 billion in 2025, that so-called "smart vapes" pose cybersecurity risks to military personnel, and that illicit e-cigarette sales have become a revenue stream for Mexican drug cartels with ties to fentanyl operations.

Full text of the letter can be found here or below:

Dear Secretary Bessent and Ambassador Greer:

As trade discussions with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) advance, it is critical that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of the Treasury confront the ongoing exploitation of our trade system. Any new trade agreement with China should require the Chinese government, through its oversight of e-cigarette exports, to take decisive action to curb the influx of illegal, youth-oriented e-cigarettes that openly flout U.S. and Chinese law.

The Administration has made clear that stopping the flow of dangerous and plainly illegal Chinese e-cigarettes is a national priority. We commend the important work of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, who continue to intercept illicit, often misdeclared, shipments. Despite these efforts, Chinese e-cigarette exports to the United States continued to rise during the final quarter of 2025, surpassing $10 billion in that year.

These devices are a threat to national security. The Department of Justice has reported that unauthorized vapes are frequently smuggled from China and sold near schools and military bases, putting minors and service members at risk. The Drug Enforcement Administration has investigated vape shops in proximity to military installations and found that many are owned or operated by foreign nationals suspected of deliberately targeting military personnel. One joint operation led to 20 arrests, including three Chinese nationals.

The emergence of Chinese “smart vapes”—which connect to smartphones—poses an additional cybersecurity threat. These devices may enable unauthorized access to personal data, cameras, microphones, geolocations, and networks. If used by military personnel, sensitive information could flow directly to the Chinese Communist Party under China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law, which requires companies to cooperate with state intelligence services.

Given the threat these devices pose, the U.S. government should aggressively counter the source of these products. It is far more efficient to prevent these products from entering the United States from China than it is to intercept such products once they have entered the U.S. domestic supply chain. Chinese law bans manufacturers from shipping e-cigarettes to a country where those products are illegal.8 Although the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) exerts extensive control over the e-cigarette- industry in China, including the export of such products, the STMA has allowed massive quantities of illegal e-cigarettes shipments to the United States. This is not an administrative lapse; it appears to be a deliberate strategy on the part of the STMA that capitalizes on gaps in U.S. enforcement. Any forthcoming agreement with the PRC must ensure that the STMA enforces its existing rules on these illegal exports.

The need for action is urgent. Illicit Chinese e-cigarette makers and their U.S. distributors intentionally design and market products to appeal to young people—using candy flavored cartridges, toy-like designs, and packaging styled after fashion accessories. They rely on influencer marketing on youth-heavy platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. These illegal products often contain carcinogens, toxic additives, and high levels of heavy metals like lead, along with other unknown substances.

Moreover, the illicit e-cigarette- trade has become an attractive revenue stream for Mexican drug cartels. Associated Press reporting indicates that cartels have secured a dominant share of the illegal market in Mexico and are continuing to expand their operations in the United States. E-cigarette sales are illegal in Mexico, but demand for these products still exists which has likely led to the rise of cartel involvement in the sale of these devices. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (a bureau of the Department of the Treasury) has identified these products as a vehicle for trade-based money laundering schemes tied to fentanyl proceeds, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms has similarly traced funds from illicit Chinese e-cigarette sales to foreign adversaries and cartel operations inside the United States.

For these reasons, we strongly urge the USTR to elevate this matter in ongoing trade negotiations with China and to pursue a binding commitment requiring the Chinese government to stop all e-cigarette exports that fail to comply with U.S. and Chinese law. U.S. national security and public health require nothing less.

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