Mississippi to Enforce Statewide Ban on Disposable Vapes and Flavored E-Liquids Starting December
According to a report from WLOX on November 25, Mississippi will begin enforcing a statewide ban on disposable Vapes and flavored e-liquids on December 1. The rule applies to any product that has not received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization or is not listed on the state’s approved product registry.
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After a 60-day transition period that began in October, retailers are rushing to pull unapproved products from their shelves. Only products manufactured by companies with active FDA authorization will be allowed to remain on the market, and all Vape items sold in the state must be registered. Violating the regulation may result in fines of $500 to $1,500 per product per day.
Local manufacturer Paradigm—whose stores operate under the name Vaporized—said most of its products already meet the state’s requirements, noting that stricter rules may help prevent youth access to vaping products.
Other vape shops, however, are facing far greater disruption. A staff member at ESmokeVapors reported that nearly all of their e-liquids, including every flavored product, must be removed from shelves. With the deadline approaching, many stores hope to clear inventory during Black Friday promotions. “A lot of our customers rely on vaping to stay away from cigarettes,” the staff member said. “This ban leaves them unsure of what to do next.”
State officials maintain that the primary goal is to reduce youth access to vaping and push the market toward a system with tighter oversight.
25 State Attorneys General Urge Shopify to Cut Off Illegal Vape Sellers
According to Reuters on November 25, a coalition of 25 state attorneys general has urged Shopify to stop providing services to websites selling illegal Vapes and to strengthen cooperation with law-enforcement agencies.
The letter—led by the California Attorney General’s Office and co-signed by Illinois, Arizona, New York, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and others—states that many online vape sellers lack proper licenses or violate federal regulations. The attorneys general call on Shopify to more effectively identify and remove non-compliant merchants. Similar requests will also be sent to other hosting and e-commerce platforms.
Despite the FDA having authorized just 39 Vape products for legal sale, the U.S. market remains dominated by unregulated devices, many of which are imported disposable vapes in sweet or fruit flavors manufactured in China. California Attorney General Rob Bonta argued that cutting off illegal sellers “at the source” is essential for protecting public health.
The letter also notes that Shopify cooperated with California earlier this year by removing several violators, but state officials insist a broader, long-term solution is needed.
Illegal Vapes Now Make Up an Estimated 85% of U.S. Market; Trump Team Launches FDA Reform
A report from a U.S. newspaper on November 25 highlights the growing crisis of illegal Vapes in America. Estimates suggest that up to 85% of all Vape devices sold in the U.S. lack FDA authorization, making them illegal.
This issue has become a major priority during President Donald Trump’s second term. Federal agencies are preparing stronger enforcement operations alongside reforms aimed at modernizing the FDA’s tobacco regulation process.
Critics say the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) has long struggled with massive backlogs. Some companies have waited years for product decisions, leaving adult consumers with few legal alternatives while the black market flourishes. Enforcement actions show that many confiscated illegal products originate from China and often feature child-appealing designs or flavors.
In a recent joint operation, the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services seized an estimated $86.5 million worth of illegal Vapes, drawing renewed attention to gaps in the regulatory system.
Policy analysts argue that the previous administration failed to approve enough lower-risk nicotine products while also falling short in controlling large-scale imports, giving the black market room to expand. Although federal law requires the FDA to review applications within 180 days, the agency has never met that deadline in practice.
Reform proposals now under discussion include expedited authorization for compliant products, increased inspection frequency, and a modernized regulatory framework designed to shrink the illegal market while protecting minors.
Poland Moves Toward a Nationwide Ban on Disposable Vapes to Protect Youth
According to a November 19 report from Strefa Biznesu, the Polish government is developing legislation that would ban all disposable Vapes, whether they contain nicotine or not. The proposal would also place other nicotine products—such as nicotine pouches, sprays, and gums—under stricter, medicine-like regulatory control.
Officials say the plan aims to prevent early nicotine exposure among youth and to address environmental concerns associated with disposable devices, which are difficult to recycle and often marketed with eye-catching packaging.
Medical Community Supports the Ban but Warns Against Eliminating All Adult Alternatives
Health professionals and pharmacists generally support removing disposable vapes from the market but caution against banning all low-risk nicotine products. They argue that adult smokers still need access to regulated alternatives that can help them reduce harm compared with traditional cigarettes.
Pulmonologist Dr. Katarzyna Kołcz wrote to the Ministry of Health stating that disposable vapes’ design and marketing tend to appeal more strongly to teenagers, making tighter controls appropriate.
Pharmacists, in a separate open letter, urged regulators to ensure products like nicotine pouches remain available for adults, noting their similarity to Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRTs) and their role in harm-reduction strategies.
Experts Call for a National Harm-Reduction Strategy Instead of a Blanket Ban
Public-health experts recommend combining strict youth protections with a harm-reduction framework that includes:
- Continued access to regulated smoke-free nicotine products for adults
- Standardized ingredient testing and nicotine-level labeling
- Limited availability of non-youth-appealing flavors, such as mint
They emphasize that international evidence shows adult smokers benefit when safer alternatives remain accessible under strong oversight.
Civil Society Groups Request a Public Debate
Harm-reduction organization Jump 93 has sent a letter to President Karol Nawrocki, urging him to support an open, science-based public debate on nicotine regulation. The group argues that current discussions often conflate traditional cigarettes with smoke-free nicotine products, leading to policy decisions that overlook scientific distinctions.
Jump 93 President Jacek Charmast warned that sidelining scientific input risks undermining policies that both protect minors and help dependent adult smokers transition away from combustible tobacco.