Rep. Johnson joins bipartisan push to crack down on illegal Chinese e-cigarettes

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Rep. Dusty Johnson has joined 71 House lawmakers in urging top federal trade and treasury officials to crack down on the flood of illicit Chinese-made e‑cigarettes entering the United States without approval from the Food and Drug Administration. 

In a letter sent to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the bipartisan group called the rise of unauthorized e‑cigarette imports a threat to both national security and public health. Lawmakers said any future trade negotiations with China must include measures requiring Beijing to stop illegal exports of youth-oriented vape products that violate both U.S. and Chinese laws. 

Johnson and his colleagues noted that U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted large quantities of misdeclared vape shipments in 2025, yet Chinese exports to the U.S. still surpassed $10 billion that year. Authorities say the devices are often smuggled and sold near schools and military bases, putting minors and service members at risk. The DEA has also investigated vape shops near military installations and found several operated by foreign nationals suspected of targeting military personnel. 

The letter highlights growing concern over so‑called “smart vapes,” which can connect to smartphones and potentially access cameras, microphones, geolocation data, and networks. Lawmakers warn that if service members use these devices, sensitive information could be transmitted to the Chinese Communist Party under China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law, which compels companies to cooperate with state intelligence agencies. 

Beyond cybersecurity risks, officials say illegal vapes pose health hazards due to toxic additives, heavy metals like lead, carcinogens, and undisclosed substances. Johnson and the other signatories argue that the U.S. should pressure China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, which oversees the manufacturing and export of vaping devices, to enforce its own ban on exporting e‑cigarettes to countries where they are illegal. The letter alleges the STMA is knowingly allowing illegal exports to the United States. 

Lawmakers also point to the involvement of Mexican drug cartels in the illicit vape market. According to the release, cartels have become major players in distributing illegal e‑cigarettes in Mexico and the U.S., with U.S. financial and law enforcement agencies identifying vape sales as vehicles for money laundering and cartel financing.