Rubio Questions FDA About Import Compliance for Vapes
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is asking the head of the FDA why so many disposable e-cigarettes without FDA approval are entering the U.S.
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"Unscrupulous Chinese companies send shipping containers full of illegal e-cigarettes into our country every day, right under the nose of the FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). FDA’s attempts at enforcement have proven totally inadequate. Chinese companies have circumvented blacklists by misrepresenting their products on shipping manifests and simply by changing their trade names," Rubio wrote in a Feb. 7 letter.
He asked, among other questions:
- How is the FDA ensuring that all importers of vaping products understand the health and safety standards required to legally sell their products in the United States?
- Does the FDA intend to publish a rule that would require foreign tobacco product manufacturers to register, and be inspected, by the agency in the immediate future?
- How is the FDA working with agencies like CBP and the Department of Justice to stop harmful, illicit vaping products from reaching store shelves?