America’s New Trojan Horse: How Illegal Chinese Vapes Threaten Our Families and National Security

For years, we’ve been told the youth vaping crisis is simply a public health issue.

It isn’t.

It’s an economic issue. It’s a law enforcement issue. And increasingly, it’s a national security issue.

Every day, millions of illegal Chinese-made vape products are sold across the United States. They’re marketed with candy flavors, flashy packaging, and social media campaigns designed to appeal to young people. But behind every brightly colored disposable vape is something far more troubling than nicotine.

It’s another American dollar flowing into an industry dominated by companies operating in Communist China.

For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has demonstrated that it is willing to leverage commerce to advance its national interests. From pharmaceuticals and rare earth minerals to telecommunications and surveillance technology, China has strategically positioned itself inside critical sectors of the American economy.

Illegal vaping has become another front in that battle.

These products are manufactured overseas, imported through illicit channels, and sold in communities across America despite lacking FDA authorization. While American companies invest millions complying with federal regulations, illegal manufacturers simply ignore them, undercut legitimate businesses and flooding our communities with products that should never be on store shelves.

The result is a multibillion-dollar black market that enriches foreign manufacturers while exposing American families to products that have never been properly reviewed for safety.

The concerns don’t stop there.

Modern disposable vapes aren’t simply nicotine products—they’re electronic devices. Many contain rechargeable lithium batteries, microprocessors, charging circuits, and USB connections. Consumers know virtually nothing about how these components are manufactured, what standards they meet, or what firmware they contain.

To be clear, there is no public evidence that disposable vapes are being used for cyber espionage. But in an era when federal agencies routinely warn Americans about the risks posed by untrusted foreign technology, it is reasonable to ask why millions of inexpensive electronic devices manufactured overseas are entering our homes, schools, and workplaces with virtually no transparency.

National security isn’t only about missiles and military bases anymore. It’s also about supply chains, technology, and economic dependence.

Meanwhile, many of these same products face tighter restrictions inside China than they do on American shelves. That should raise an obvious question: Why are products deemed unacceptable for Chinese communities being aggressively marketed to American children?

Families deserve better.

Congress should continue strengthening enforcement against illegal vape trafficking. States should maintain clear directories identifying legally authorized products so retailers and law enforcement can quickly distinguish legal products from illegal ones. Customs officials should continue intercepting illicit imports before they reach our communities, and prosecutors should aggressively target the criminal organizations profiting from these sales.

Protecting America’s children means more than talking about nicotine addiction. It means refusing to allow foreign manufacturers, organized smuggling networks, and illegal profiteers to use American families as a marketplace.

This is about protecting our children.

It’s about protecting American businesses that follow the law.

And it’s about recognizing that every illegal vape sold is more than a public health concern—it is another reminder that national security begins at home.

Emily Stack is a Presdnet and Co-Founder with Families for America