Rep. Moran fights illegal Chinese vapes

TYLER — In a letter addressed to the Treasury Secretary and U.S. Trade Representative on Monday, U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran joins other House members in urging the Trump Administration to address the importation of illegal Chinese e-cigarettes without FDA approval. According to the letter, Chinese vape exports to the U.S. surpassed $10 billion in 2025. The smart vapes are able to connect to smartphones, enabling unauthorized access to personal data, cameras, microphones and more, the letter said.

Representatives raise their concerns about the unauthorized importing of the vapes, as they are sold near schools and military bases.

“These illegal Chinese vapes are a threat on every front,” Moran said. “They contain toxic levels of lead and carcinogens, and are deliberately marketed to target our kids with candy flavors and social media influencers. They are sold near schools and military bases by foreign nationals, and their ‘smart’ technology risks funneling sensitive data directly to the Chinese Communist Party,”

The letter asks the Trump Administration to consider requiring the Chinese government to “curb the influx of illegal, youth-oriented e-cigarettes” when creating new trade agreements.

The representatives claim that the e-cigarette companies intentionally design their products and marketing to appeal to young people by using candy flavoring and toy-like designs.

Additionally, representatives believe the e-cigarette trade is making its way to Mexican drug cartels, saying that the cartels have “secured a dominant share of the illegal market.”

“This is not an accident—it is a deliberate strategy by Beijing,” Moran said. “Meanwhile, Mexican drug cartels have seized on this trade as a revenue stream, with federal authorities tracing these sales to cartel operations and fentanyl proceeds. The United States cannot stand idle. Any trade deal with China must include a binding commitment to stop this—full stop.”