• December 2, 2024

Retailers Warned Over Unauthorized Vapes

 Retailers Warned Over Unauthorized Vapes
Photo: Ljupco Smokovski

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned 61 brick-and-mortar retailers for selling unauthorized e-cigarette products. The offending businesses received warning letters citing the sale of disposable vapes marketed under the Elf Bar/EB Design and Lava brand names.

Findings from the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that more than 50 percent of youth who use e-cigarettes reported using the brand Elf Bar; in 2023, the manufacturer of Elf Bar began marketing the product under the name “EB Design.” In addition, the brand Lava was identified as popular or youth-appealing by the agency following review of retail sales data and emerging internal data from a survey among youth. 

The retailers have 15 working days to respond with the steps they will take to correct the violation and to prevent future violations. Failure to promptly correct the violations, the FDA warned, can result in additional actions such as an injunction, seizure and/or civil money penalties.