PRESS RELEASE: Regulate Smarter Endorses S.T.O.P. Illicit Vapes Act, Reiterates Urgency For FDA to Act

The multi-agency task force led by the Department of Justice and the Food and Drug Administration is a critical tool that will strengthen and enhance long term enforcement efforts against the illicit vapor crisis; and FDA must act to authorize new nicotine product alternatives to combat the flow of illicit nicotine products into the U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, former U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), chairman of the Coalition for Smarter Regulation of Nicotine (Regulate Smarter), issued the following statement in support of the Strengthening Task Force Operations to Prevent Illicit Vapes Act, or S.T.O.P. Illicit Vapes Act, a bipartisan and bicameral bill introduced in December 2025 codifying the existing multi-agency task force led by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to combat the illegal importation, distribution, and sale of vapor products:

“Strengthening and enhancing existing federal enforcement efforts for the long-term is a positive development in the fight against the illicit vapor crisis, and we applaud lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for this commonsense effort,” said Burr. “For too long, Chinese manufacturers have exploited lax enforcement and flooded American streets and store shelves with product that not only evades FDA oversight, but often intentionally targets underage users. This legislation bolsters coordination across federal agencies to more effectively crack down on the illicit vapor market and ensures that the law is enforced as Congress intended in the Tobacco Control Act. To truly address the illicit vapor crisis, FDA must authorize new vapor and nicotine products for the nearly 20 million adult vapor consumers, and millions more adult pouch consumers, seeking legal and less harmful alternatives. Until the FDA authorizes more legal options for consumers, bad actors will remain incentivized to fill the market with illicit alternatives.”

Since its inception in 2025, Regulate Smarter has been advocating for common-sense reforms to address the flood of illegal and unregulated tobacco and nicotine products into the U.S., effectively enforce the Tobacco Control Act and restore order to the marketplace, emphasizing the need for both enforcement and authorization as part of a comprehensive approach.

The S.T.O.P. Illicit Vapes Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) along with U.S. Representative Herb Conaway Jr. (D-NJ-03) and U.S. Representative Celeste Maloy (R-UT-02).

Established in June 2024, the multi-agency task force also includes: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Trade Commission, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Regulate Smarter’s web site is available here https://www.regulate-smarter.org/

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The Coalition for Smarter Regulation of Nicotine (Regulate Smarter) is comprised of members representing manufacturers, distributors, and retailers committed to operating responsibly within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-regulated marketplace. Regulate Smarter supports an FDA regulatory system that delivers on the original harm reduction vision of the Tobacco Control Act. Chaired by former U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), the Regulate Smarter Coalition is committed to advancing a modern, common-sense approach to regulating tobacco and nicotine that is grounded in science. To learn more, visit: https://www.regulate-smarter.org/