Florida: The public is being cautioned by the Florida Retail Federation about the illegal vapes that are entering the Florida market from China.
The president of the Florida Retail Federation, Scott Shalley, clarified that it is nearly hard to determine whether a vape is unlawful.
It’s a huge issue, and the market is overflowing with mostly illegal goods that haven’t had their safety evaluated by the FDA or anybody else. And it’s making it extremely difficult for customers to ensure that they’re getting something that has been thoroughly examined as well as for retailers,” Shalley said.
In Florida, three Chinese-owned businesses have controlled the industry, with sales exceeding $355 million in 2023. Sales in Florida totaled $410 million.
This indicates that 86% of vapes in the state are not allowed and/or unlawful.
Shalley expressed grave concerns about this market dominance.
You’re talking about something whose full mechanism hasn’t been examined and that has chemicals that enter your body. Fentanyl has occasionally been linked to those goods in addition to other illegal narcotics.
The three Chinese-owned businesses that sell the most disposable vaporizers in Florida are Elf Bar, Fume, and HQD.
Of the $410 HQD sales, $127 million went into fume sales, or $162 million.
Sales of Elf Bar totaled $66 million.
The remaining $56 million came from different brands.
What should Florida consumers look for when purchasing vapes? News4JAX posed this question. Customers may find that difficult, though, as it can be difficult to determine whether a vaporizer is authorised.
To be honest, it’s nearly impossible. And that’s where our efforts to educate ourselves on this matter fall short; we need to know and we need more direction from the federal government. You are aware that the majority of illegal goods are typically flavor-infused single-use items. However, Shalley noted, it doesn’t hold true for just the illegal product. Thus, it is essentially unfeasible. And that is something that is seriously troubling us and impeding our attempts at education.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure only last week that forbade the sale of any vapes that weren’t approved by the FDA.
On October 1, the new law will take effect.
The federal government should take the initiative and give consumers more information about which vape products are safe, according to the Florida Retail Federation.
If the issues outlined in this article are affecting you, please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will do what we can to help you with your situation.
