Conaway, Durbin, Tillis, Maloy Introduce Legislation to Strengthen and Improve Enforcement of Illegal Tobacco Products

Washington D.C. — Today, Congressman Herb Conaway Jr., MD (D-NJ), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (R-UT) introduced the bicameral and bipartisan Strengthening Task Force Operations to Prevent Illicit Vaping Act (S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act). This legislation would establish and strengthen a federal multi-agency task force to coordinate enforcement, information sharing, and strategy to combat the illegal importation, distribution, and sale of unauthorized e-cigarettes.

“The rise of illegally imported and unregulated e-cigarettes is a growing threat to public health, legitimate businesses, and the integrity of our enforcement system,” said Congressman Conaway. “As a physician, I understand the urgency of protecting Americans from illegal and dangerous tobacco products. The S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act strengthens federal task forces on the front lines, equipping them with the tools and coordination necessary to disrupt illegal vaping networks. This bill takes a responsible, enforcement-focused approach to safeguarding communities and ensuring a lawful, transparent marketplace.” 

“If we hope to prevent the next generation of children from getting hooked on nicotine, we must enforce our existing laws and finally crack down on the illegal e-cigarette products that are flooding stores nationwide,” said Senator Durbin. “My bipartisan legislation, the S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act, would cement DOJ and FDA’s task force dedicated to preventing the unlawful sale of these unauthorized vape products.”  

“The flood of illegal and unregulated e-cigarettes, particularly from China, undermines public health, skirts federal law, and disadvantages businesses that play by the rules,” said Senator Tillis. “The S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act strengthens coordination among federal agencies to crack down on these illicit products, protect kids from unauthorized nicotine devices, and ensure our laws are enforced as Congress intended.”

“There are clear laws on the books governing tobacco and vaping products, but those laws only matter if they’re enforced,” said Congresswoman Celeste Maloy. “The S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act strengthens enforcement by improving coordination across agencies so illegal operators can’t take advantage of gaps in the system.”

For the S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act bill text click here.

The S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act is cosponsored by: Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL).

The S.T.O.P. Illicit Vaping Act is endorsed by the following organizations: American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, American Cancer Society, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids strongly supports the legislation introduced by Rep. Conaway and Rep. Maloy to help ensure the federal government is taking comprehensive enforcement action against the many illegal e-cigarette products that are currently on the market. We commend their efforts to prevent illegal e-cigarettes from being imported, distributed and sold in the United States and to hold bad actors accountable for endangering the health of our kids,” said Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. 

“Across the U.S., more than 1.6 million middle and high school students vape, and nearly 90% use e-cigarettes flavored like fruit, dessert or mint. Unfortunately, many of the e-cigarettes youth use are being illegally sold in the U.S. Keeping these illegal, addictive and harmful products out of the hands of children requires strong coordination across federal agencies. We commend Representative Conaway’s leadership in introducing legislation to codify the multi-agency taskforce responsible for combatting illicit e-cigarettes,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association.

“Pediatricians too often see the health impacts of e-cigarette use on our patients, and we know that many of the addictive nicotine devices that end up in the hands of young people are being sold unlawfully. The STOP Illicit Vaping Act would take important strides toward removing unauthorized e-cigarette products from the market and keeping them away from children and teens. We look forward to seeing Congress move this bill forward,” said Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

“The S.T.O.P. Illicit Vapes Act is a meaningful step forward in curbing unauthorized e-cigarettes and pushing back against the tobacco industry's efforts to hook a new generation on these addictive and harmful products. We’re grateful to Congressman Herb Conaway, Congresswoman Celeste Maloy, Senator Dick Durbin, and Senator Thom Tillis for their leadership on this legislation that works to protect public health,” said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.