Washington, March 17 (IANS) A group of more than 70 US lawmakers has urged the Trump administration to crack down on a surge of illegal Chinese e-cigarettes entering the American market, citing risks to public health, national security, and links to organised crime.
The push, led by Rep. Mike Carey and joined by Rep. Nathaniel Moran, comes as trade discussions with China continue. Lawmakers called for the issue to be made a priority in any future agreement with Beijing.
“These illegal Chinese vapes are a threat on every front,” Moran said. “They contain toxic levels of lead and carcinogens, and are deliberately marketed to target our kids with candy flavours and social media influencers.”
He added that the products are “sold near schools and military bases by foreign nationals,” warning that their “smart” technology risks “funnelling sensitive data directly to the Chinese Communist Party.”
In a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, lawmakers said the United States must “confront the ongoing exploitation of our trade system” and ensure that China takes “decisive action to curb the influx of illegal, youth-oriented e-cigarettes.”
The lawmakers said Chinese vape exports to the United States surpassed $10 billion in 2025, even as US authorities stepped up enforcement.
“These devices are a threat to national security,” the lawmakers wrote, citing Department of Justice findings that unauthorised vapes are “frequently smuggled from China and sold near schools and military bases.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration has also investigated vape shops near military installations and found that many are “owned or operated by foreign nationals suspected of deliberately targeting military personnel,” the letter said. One operation led to 20 arrests, including three Chinese nationals.
Lawmakers flagged growing concern over so-called “smart vapes” that connect to smartphones. These devices “may enable unauthorised access to personal data, cameras, microphones, geolocations, and networks,” the letter warned.
“If used by military personnel, sensitive information could flow directly to the Chinese Communist Party under China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law,” it added.
The lawmakers argued that the problem should be tackled at its source rather than at US borders. “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 US domestic supply chain,” they wrote.
They also accused Chinese authorities of failing to enforce their own rules. “This is not an administrative lapse; it appears to be a deliberate strategy,” the letter said, referring to China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration.
The public health concerns are equally stark. Lawmakers said illicit manufacturers “intentionally design and market products to appeal to young people,” using “candy flavoured cartridges, toy-like designs, and packaging styled after fashion accessories.”
“These illegal products often contain carcinogens, toxic additives, and high levels of heavy metals like lead,” they warned.
The letter also linked the trade to organised crime. It cited findings that illicit e-cigarette sales have become “an attractive revenue stream for Mexican drug cartels” and are tied to money laundering linked to fentanyl proceeds.
“For these reasons, we strongly urge the USTR to elevate this matter in ongoing trade negotiations with China,” the lawmakers wrote, calling for “a binding commitment” from Beijing to halt illegal exports.
--IANS
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