Chinese Disposable Brands OXBAR, LYCO Challenge Vuse and JUUL: Pennsylvania’s Pending List Offers a Glimpse of the Future Legal Vape Market

Key Points

•  Pennsylvania updated its ENDS Pending Certifications list on June 26.
•  Tobacco-backed brands and Chinese disposable vape brands are entering the same state certification process.
•  The list covers closed-pod systems, open-system e-liquids and disposable vapes.
•  Eligibility is determined primarily by PMTA status rather than current market popularity.
•  Pennsylvania’s ENDS Directory is reshaping competition around legal market access.

2Firsts

July 7, 2026

On June 26, 2026, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General updated its ENDS Pending Certifications list, identifying manufacturers and products seeking inclusion in the state’s ENDS Directory.

The list offers more than a regulatory update. It provides an early view of what Pennsylvania’s future legal vape market may look like after state enforcement begins in October. The brands seeking certification include tobacco-backed products such as Vuse Alto, Logic, JUUL, blu and NJOY, alongside Chinese-linked brands including OXBAR and LYCO, as well as established open-system e-liquid brands such as Vapetasia, Coastal Clouds, Twist E-Liquid and Juice Head.

PMTA Eligibility Defines Market Access

Pennsylvania’s ENDS Directory is not an open registration system. Under Act 57 of 2025, products seeking inclusion must meet specific FDA regulatory criteria, including products that have received a Marketing Granted Order (MGO) or those covered by timely filed PMTAs that remain under FDA review.

As a result, the Pending list reflects regulatory eligibility rather than commercial popularity. Inclusion on the list indicates that a product has entered Pennsylvania’s state-level certification process, not that it is among the market’s current best sellers.

Closed-Pod, Open-System and Disposable Products Compete for Shelf Space

The latest Pending list covers 22 manufacturers, 42 brand families and more than 600 SKUs, spanning the major product categories in the U.S. ENDS market.

Closed-pod systems remain strongly represented, including Vuse Alto (BAT), Logic (Japan Tobacco), JUUL, blu (Imperial Brands) and NJOY (Altria).

The list also includes a broad group of long-established open-system e-liquid brands, including Vapetasia, Coastal Clouds, Twist E-Liquid and Juice Head, highlighting continued efforts by open-system manufacturers to secure access to Pennsylvania’s future legal market.

Chinese Disposable Brands Enter State-Level Competition

Unlike the tobacco companies, whose presence is centered on closed-pod products, the Chinese-linked brands appearing on the Pending list are concentrated in the disposable vape category.

For OXBAR, the listed manufacturer is YME Technology Limited. Public records identify the company as a Hong Kong-registered entity, while the OXBAR brand is operated by Shenzhen Alermi Technology Co., Ltd. YME Technology Limited has also appeared as the responsible manufacturer for OXBAR products in European Union TPD notification documents. The Pennsylvania filings cover products within the Magic Maze disposable vape series.

The LYCO brand is listed under Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co., Ltd. Publicly available product information shows that LYCO’s flagship products are the Mini Box rechargeable disposable vape series, which also appears in Pennsylvania’s Pending filings.

Meanwhile, Logic, a brand owned by Japan Tobacco, identifies Shenzhen Smoore Technology Limited as the listed manufacturer in Pennsylvania’s certification filings, illustrating the continued role of Chinese manufacturers within the supply chains of multinational tobacco companies.

Competition Is Shifting from Market Share to Market Access

The Pennsylvania list illustrates a competitive landscape that differs from today’s retail market.

The key factor determining participation is no longer simply consumer demand, but whether products satisfy both FDA PMTA requirements and Pennsylvania’s state certification criteria. As more U.S. states establish ENDS Directory systems, competition is expanding beyond market share to include continued access to the legal market.

With Pennsylvania’s enforcement deadline approaching in October, the state’s ENDS Directory is likely to influence retailer assortments, distributor portfolios and manufacturers’ product strategies, making it an important indicator of how the U.S. legal vape market is evolving.

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Cover Image: generated by AI

2FIRSTS | Pennsylvania Updates ENDS Certification List as Chinese-Linked Manufacturers Enter State Review

Pennsylvania’s June 26 Pending ENDS Certifications list includes 23 manufacturers under review, including Shenzhen Smoore, Shenzhen IVPS, YME Technology and China-linked Boulder International. The list shows state-level vape regulation moving beyond retail brands toward manufacturer-based market access alongside FDA oversight.

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