Johnson Calls on Trump Administration to Crack Down on Chinese-made E-Cigarettes
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) led a letter urging the Trump Administration to take action on the influx of unauthorized Chinese-made e-cigarettes and vapes sold in America.
“The large-scale smuggling of these illicit vaping products – accounting for more than half of all vapes sold in the U.S. – undermines American public health priorities and contributes to a significant increase in youth vaping,” the members wrote. “Youth vaping as a general matter is dangerous and directly harms consumers, including minors in particular, but the continued importation of these unapproved products, often through deceptive transshipment tactics, also violates U.S. trade laws.”
“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is fueling this crisis,” the members continued. “The mislabeling of e-cigarette shipments, evasion of customs, and attempts to bypass U.S. Customs and Border Protection demonstrate clear and deliberate intent to turn a blind eye to one of America’s greatest public health crises. The CCP has banned the sale of flavored e-cigarettes within its own borders yet continues to export these same products worldwide. If these products are deemed unsafe for their own citizens, we must question their efforts to smuggle and sell these products in the United States.”
The letter was sent to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Food and Drug Administration Acting Commissioner Sara Brenner.
The letter was signed by Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL).
Read the full letter here.
Background:
- More than 628,000 illegal e-cigarette products from China were seized by the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January.
- More than 9,000 types of e-cigarettes are sold in the United States – only 34 are approved by the FDA.
- China’s vaping sector is estimated to be worth $28 billion, and the U.S. accounts for nearly 60% of the country’s vape exports, according to the Associated Press.
- Vaping puts youth at greater risk of developing nicotine addictions and harms brain development.
###
Nice! Too bad our legislators didn’t do their job to help crackdown on these products when they had the chance during session. I guess the New Republicans are ok with illegal products from China being sold in South Dakota.
I am very upset with Carl Perry. How could he feel that Chinese Vapes are ok? This guy is worthless to the taxpayers that don’t pay him!!!
Who was Carl’s biggest campaign contributor by far that blew off campaign finance laws yet talks of corruption in Pierre? Would not be surprised if Legend’s sells Chinese vapes, along side tobacco, hemp/thc products, alcohol and the largest video lottery casino in Aberdeen.