The US government just made its biggest-ever bust of illegal e-cigarettes. Officials from the FDA and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized a massive 4.7 million vaping products, worth about $86.5 million, during a joint operation in Chicago.Most of the shipments were coming from China, and many were disguised with vague or misleading labels — even fake values — in what looked like an attempt to sneak them past inspections and avoid import duties. The operation was aimed at stopping unauthorized e-cigarettes from hitting the U.S. market and dodging safety checks.“We will never allow foreign actors to threaten the health of America’s children,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “Today we took decisive action to protect kids from illegal vape products. Thank you to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for their leadership in helping us shut down this black market.”“The FDA and our federal partners are taking strong actions to shore up America’s borders and stop the flow of illegal vaping products into our country,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “Americans – especially our children – should not be using potentially dangerous, addicting products that have been snuck into the U.S. If a product has not been authorized by the FDA, CBP will seize, detain or destroy it.”When it comes to vaping, not all products are created equal — and unauthorized e-cigarettes can be especially risky. These are the kinds of vapes that slip into the market without FDA approval or proper safety checks. That means nobody’s really testing what’s inside them, and you could be inhaling way more than just nicotine.One of the biggest concerns is unknown ingredients. Some of these products have been found to contain harmful chemicals, heavy metals, or way more nicotine than the label claims. That can lead to stronger addiction, heart problems, and increased blood pressure. On top of that, fake or low-quality vape liquids may irritate your lungs, triggering coughing, wheezing, or worse.There’s also the risk of contamination. Without regulation, there’s no guarantee these devices are made in clean environments. Poorly made cartridges have even been linked to serious lung injuries in the past.
