Key Points
- First Public STMA Summons: Based on public records reviewed by 2Firsts, this is the first time the STMA has publicly announced regulatory talks with an e-cigarette company.
- Suspected Compliance Problems: The regulator cited suspected unlawful production and business activities and weaknesses in iMiracle’s compliance management, but announced no immediate penalty.
- Licensing Risk: The STMA controls the production licences required for e-cigarette manufacturers, contract manufacturers and brand owners to operate legally in China, giving the action direct operational significance.
- International Scrutiny: Geek Bar, linked to iMiracle’s affiliated business network, has no FDA marketing authorisation and has repeatedly been named in U.S. enforcement announcements involving unauthorised e-cigarettes.
2Firsts,
Shenzhen, July 29, 2026
China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) has summoned the head of iMiracle (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. for regulatory talks over suspected unlawful production and business activities and weaknesses in the company’s compliance management.
The STMA disclosed the action in a notice published on July 29 by its E-cigarette Supervision and Administration Department.
According to the regulator, the issues were identified during routine supervision. The STMA instructed iMiracle to comply strictly with China’s Tobacco Monopoly Law, its implementing regulations, the Administrative Measures for E-cigarettes and national policies governing restricted industries.
The company was also ordered to fulfil its primary responsibility for compliant operations, implement national e-cigarette regulatory requirements, strengthen its internal compliance management system and improve its overall management.
The STMA did not disclose the specific conduct involved or announce an immediate penalty.
According to information confirmed by 2Firsts, iMiracle and Geekvape are affiliated companies. The affiliated businesses are associated with internationally distributed vaping brands including Elf Bar, Lost Mary and Geek Bar.
First publicly announced STMA summons of an e-cigarette company
Based on publicly available information reviewed by 2Firsts, the action involving iMiracle is the first regulatory summons of an e-cigarette company to be publicly announced by the STMA.
Chinese tobacco authorities routinely supervise licensed e-cigarette businesses through inspections, product testing, production controls and licence administration. Publicly naming a major company and disclosing the compliance concerns raised during regulatory talks marks a more visible use of the regulator’s enforcement powers.
The action carries direct operational significance because e-cigarette manufacturers, contract manufacturers and brand owners must hold a Tobacco Monopoly Production Enterprise Licence to conduct production-related business in China, including the production of goods intended for export.
Licence applications are accepted and reviewed by provincial tobacco authorities, while the STMA grants final approval. The licensing system covers the products and activities a company is permitted to undertake, including manufacturing, contract production and brand ownership.
China’s Administrative Measures for E-cigarettes also require STMA approval for the establishment, division, merger or closure of an e-cigarette production business. Construction or technical upgrades intended to expand production capacity must also receive approval from the national regulator.
No suspension, fine or licence-related measure was announced following the talks. The public notice nevertheless confirms that suspected non-compliant activities and weaknesses in iMiracle’s internal compliance management have entered the national regulator’s formal field of scrutiny.
The Administrative Measures for E-cigarettes allow tobacco authorities to escalate enforcement from regulatory talks to measures including suspension of access to the national trading platform, orders to halt operations for rectification and, ultimately, cancellation of the qualification to conduct e-cigarette-related production or business.
The public summons therefore puts iMiracle on notice that unresolved problems or further violations could lead to stronger regulatory action.
The STMA also cited national policies governing restricted industries. Under China’s regulatory framework, the establishment of e-cigarette production businesses and subsequent capacity expansion are subject to approval rather than unrestricted market entry.
Geek Bar repeatedly named in FDA enforcement announcements
The STMA action comes against a wider background of regulatory scrutiny involving brands associated with the affiliated businesses.
Geek Bar has built a significant presence in the U.S. disposable e-cigarette market, although no Geek Bar product has received a marketing granted order from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA currently lists 45 authorised e-cigarette products, which the agency says are the only e-cigarettes that may currently be lawfully sold in the United States. No Geek Bar product appears on the list.
Since 2024, the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products has repeatedly named Geek Bar products in enforcement announcements involving unauthorised e-cigarettes.
On July 31, 2024, the FDA issued warning letters to five online retailers selling unauthorised disposable products under the Geek Bar, Lost Mary and Bang brands. The agency said emerging data showed rising Geek Bar sales and identified the brand as potentially appealing to young people.
In October 2024, the FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the seizure of approximately three million unauthorised e-cigarettes with an estimated retail value of $76 million. The shipments originated in China and included Geek Bar products. Federal authorities said many of the goods had been incorrectly declared as products unrelated to vaping and assigned inaccurate values.
In December 2024, the FDA issued warning letters to 115 physical retailers for selling unauthorised products including Geek Bar Pulse, Geek Bar Skyview and Geek Bar Platinum. At the time, the agency said its surveillance data had identified Geek Bar as popular among young users or as having youth appeal.
Later that month, the FDA named Geek Bar and Lost Mary in another action involving warning letters sent to eight online retailers and one manufacturer for selling or distributing unauthorised flavoured disposable e-cigarettes.
Geek Bar has since become more prominent in U.S. youth-use data.
According to the FDA’s analysis of the 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey, Geek Bar was the most commonly reported brand among current middle and high school e-cigarette users, at 64.1%. Elf Bar followed at 21.5%, while Lost Mary was reported by 19.8%. The figures reflect reported brand use among current youth users and do not represent retail market share.
The STMA notice did not say whether its talks with iMiracle were related to Geek Bar, export activities or U.S. enforcement actions.
QISI was previously reported to have suspended operations
The STMA announcement also follows earlier reports involving QISI, a major manufacturer of Geek Bar.
On August 28, 2025, 2Firsts reported that a document circulating on Chinese social media appeared to show that QISI would suspend operations and place employees on leave from August 25 to November 30.
The document, titled “Notice on Employee Leave During Company Shutdown Period,” outlined two rounds of employee leave and referred to a “shutdown for rectification.”
Its authenticity was not independently verified, and QISI did not issue a public statement confirming the reported suspension or explaining its cause.
Videos also circulated on Chinese social media showing people claiming to be QISI employees discussing employment and operational issues. 2Firsts was unable to verify those materials.
The STMA’s July 29 announcement does not mention QISI or the reported 2025 production suspension.
Focus turns to regulatory follow-up
The public summons places iMiracle’s production activities and internal compliance management under national regulatory scrutiny at a time when brands associated with the affiliated businesses are also facing sustained enforcement attention in the United States.
The immediate issue is whether iMiracle takes corrective action that satisfies the STMA.
No further measure has been announced. However, the regulator’s control over production licensing, permitted business activities and capacity expansion gives it powers that could directly affect the company’s operations if the identified problems remain unresolved or further violations are found.
Any company response, corrective action or subsequent decision by the STMA will be closely watched by manufacturers, distributors and regulators in China and overseas.
For continued reporting on China’s e-cigarette regulation and industry enforcement, follow 2Firsts.
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