Smarter age-verification tools are urgently needed to curb youth vaping and the booming illicit market in the U.S., according to a new report from identity verification specialist IKE Tech. The study, The First Vape-Free Youth Generation, surveyed 5,000 respondents across the U.S. and U.K., including 500 teenagers. It found that while nearly half of U.S. adults believe current regulations are effective, 41% see them as ineffective or counterproductive. Despite FDA crackdowns, flavored disposables remain widely available, fueling both youth uptake and a $2.4 billion illicit vape market in 2024.
Peer pressure, easy access, and weak age checks are driving the crisis, with 73% of respondents saying minors buy vapes online and 67% noting lax in-store controls. IKE Tech argues that technology-enabled solutions, such as biometric locks and digital age checks at the point of use, are critical to closing enforcement gaps.
“By integrating age verification directly into the device, we go beyond packaging restrictions and sales bans to ensure that only adults can access these products, no matter where or how they’re sold,” said John Patterson, president of IKE Tech. “It’s time to complement federal regulation with innovative tools that actually work in the real world.”
Patterson, who will be speaking at GTNF 2025 in Brussels on youth access prevention, added that “FDA has taken bold steps in restricting flavored e-cigarettes, but enforcement gaps remain, especially with online sales and black market products.”