Overview

• A June 2 JAMA study found neotame, an artificial sweetener 7,000–13,000 times sweeter than sugar, in all 11 leading disposable e-cigarette brands tested.
• Neotame is not approved for inhalation and may increase the appeal of these products to teens, who prefer intensely sweet flavors.
• Most flavored disposable vapes sold in the U.S. are illegal imports from China, making up 86% of the domestic e-cigarette market.
• The FDA has authorized only 34 tobacco- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes, representing 14% of retail sales, and recently seized $34 million of illicit vapes in Chicago.
• Cuts to the FDA’s tobacco center and the closure of the CDC’s Office of Smoking and Health are undermining enforcement against illegal vape products.