(Alexandria, Virginia) – This morning Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE) released the following statement today after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data from the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey showing record high (nearly 61%) youth usage of illegal, disposable e-cigarettes among tobacco-using students.

A key finding confirms that illegal, disposable e-cigarettes from China, marketed in youth-appealing flavors and designs, are driving the youth vaping epidemic.

“China is clearly targeting our kids with illegal, disposable vapes. The overwhelmingly popular candy and dessert flavors, and deceptive designs that are made to look like toys and school supplies, leave no question about it.  While these products are banned in China, unscrupulous foreign manufacturers continue flooding the U.S. market and getting millions of young Americans hooked. The FDA has started to take action against some of the most popular China-made brands, but this report proves it is not enough.

“The FDA needs to take meaningful action to ensure state and local enforcement agencies have the authority and resources they need to ramp up enforcement. And states that have bans on flavored e-cigarettes need to enforce the law with serious consequences for non-compliance. With the health and safety of American kids on the line, warning letters are not going to cut it. It is time for real action to get illegal, disposable vapes in youth-appealing flavors off the shelves.”

Key Data Points from the NYTS Report:

• • • There has been an alarming 2617% increase in the use of disposable e-cigarettes by high schoolers since 2019
    • Nearly 90% of middle and high school students who use e-cigarettes showed a preference for candy flavored products such as Blue Cotton Candy and Gummy Bear
    • Use of cigarettes among middle and high school students is down around 85% since 2011

###