U.S. Senator Young, colleagues urge administration to combat illegal Chinese vapes

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined with a group of fellow Senate Republicans in a letter urging the Treasury Department and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to combat the shipments and illicit sales of Chinese e-cigarettes in America. These Chinese e-cigarettes are a health and national security threat, and their sales are helping fund the Chinese Communist Party’s activities.

“We write to draw your attention to the growing risks associated with the massive volumes of illicit Chinese e-cigarettes flooding into the United States. We fully support President Trump's aggressive, multi-agency enforcement actions taken to confront this pressing threat as addressing illegal activity of this magnitude and consequence requires a comprehensive strategy and response. Accordingly, we respectfully urge the Treasury Department and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to take appropriate action within their respective authorities,” the senators wrote.

In addition to Senator Young, U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Tom Cottom (R-Ark.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) also signed the letter.

Full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Secretary Bessent and Ambassador Greer,

We write to draw your attention to the growing risks associated with the massive volumes of illicit Chinese e-cigarettes flooding into the United States. We fully support President Trump's aggressive, multi-agency enforcement actions taken to confront this pressing threat as addressing illegal activity of this magnitude and consequence requires a comprehensive strategy and response. Accordingly, we respectfully urge the Treasury Department and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to take appropriate action within their respective authorities.

The Chinese Communist Party, through China's State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA), exports hundreds of millions of illegal e-cigarettes to the United States each year, flooding the domestic market, and generating billions of dollars in revenue. The proceeds generated by STMA may be helping to fund military or technological initiatives designed to undermine American economic and strategic interests. Federal agencies have also linked Chinese manufacturers to Mexican cartels and money laundering operations. Earlier this year, the

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reported that illicit Chinese e- cigarettes are being used as part of a trade-based money laundering scheme to move fentanyl proceeds on behalf of Mexican cartels.

The Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Agency have also connected the proliferation of e-cigarettes smuggled into the United States to retailers operated by foreign nationals near schools and military installations. Additionally, highly sophisticated “smart vapes,” with the ability to connect to user’s cellphones, have become commonplace. These devices have the capacity to initiate data breaches or malware infections and can also access and collect sensitive user data. Given the interconnected relationship between Chinese industry and state intelligence services, the targeting of U.S. military personnel with these devices raises profound national security concerns.

Given the scale and severity of this threat, we urge the Treasury Department and USTR to use their respective enforcement and diplomatic authorities to combat illegal Chinese e-cigarettes. Whether tackling money laundering operations via FinCEN or negotiating directly with Chinese leaders to prevent future shipments of illegal e-cigarettes, your leadership is necessary to help curtail this growing security risk. We appreciate your consideration and are ready to assist.