Major tobacco companies, including British American Tobacco (BAT), the parent to Reynolds American, and Altria, are lobbying the Trump administration to take stronger action against illegal vaping products, including a potential import ban on Chinese-made devices, according to industry consultants and documents reviewed by Reuters.
Altria’s and Reynolds’ vaping products, Njoy and Vuse respectively, are both produced in China.
The companies argue that while they have spent years navigating the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s complex regulatory process to get their vaping products authorized, manufacturers with unauthorized products have gained significant market share.
Despite regulatory efforts, illicit vaping products continue to dominate the market, according to BAT. The company estimated last year that unauthorized disposable vapes accounted for roughly 70% of the nearly $13 billion U.S. vaping industry. Tobacco companies claim this is cutting into their own sales of both combustible cigarettes and legal -FDA authorized- vape products.
Reynolds American, has formally urged the U.S. government to block all disposable vape imports from China and impose additional tariffs on Chinese-made e-cigarettes and alternative nicotine products. In a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative dated March 11, Reynolds stated: “The Chinese companies’ unfair and illegal trading practices harm Reynolds and other law-abiding U.S. companies.”
A Reynolds spokesperson further emphasized that only products complying with FDA regulations should be allowed in the market. Tobacco executives remain hopeful that the Trump administration will act on their concerns. However, a shift in policy that eases regulatory hurdles for unauthorized vapes could accelerate their expansion rather than curb it.
With traditional cigarette consumption declining, tobacco companies are aggressively pushing for more robust enforcement to maintain their foothold in the U.S. nicotine market. The battle over vaping regulations has intensified, with both Big Tobacco and independent vape companies seeking influence in Washington. “It’s no secret that everyone with a stake in this issue is trying to access the White House,” an industry consultant working for a tobacco company told Reuters.
Political donations also play a role. Federal Election Commission records show Reynolds contributed $10 million to the Trump-aligned super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc. BAT stated that it engages with lawmakers from both parties, advocating for policies that support the transition of smokers to alternative products, regardless of which party is in power.
The FDA has faced criticism from both tobacco companies and vape industry groups for slow product authorizations and a lack of enforcement against illicit products. To date, the agency has only authorized 34 tobacco and menthol-flavored vape products, despite receiving millions of applications.
Reynolds has called for an urgent review of the regulatory approval process, while Altria has pushed for swifter product authorizations and stricter enforcement against unauthorized competitors.
However, Tony Abboud, executive director of the Vapor Technology Association (VTA), argues that the current system disproportionately favors large companies while effectively banning flavored vaping products that could help adult smokers transition away from cigarettes. “A significant change of approach is needed,” Abboud said.
Abboud previously met with Trump on more than one occasion, and in September of last year, after a meeting with Abboud, the current president posted on his Truth Social network that he would “save flavored” vaping products.
