FDA Issues MDO Orders for Over 6,500 E-Cigarette Products

May.15.2023
FDA Issues MDO Orders for Over 6,500 E-Cigarette Products
FDA issued marketing denial orders to 10 companies, preventing them from selling about 6,500 flavored e-cigarette products in the US.

On May 12th, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued marketing denial orders (MDOs) to 10 companies, all of which produced and sold approximately 6,500 flavors of e-cigarette oil and vape products. The MDOs prohibit these companies from marketing or distributing these products in the US, and retailers selling these illegal products will face enforcement actions from the FDA.


The tobacco products they submitted for pre-market tobacco product applications (PMTA) included a variety of flavored e-cigarette products, but they failed to provide sufficient evidence that allowing the sale of these products would meet public health protection requirements. The flavors of the products that were denied included citrus, strawberry cheesecake, cool mint, and mint.


Today's actions furthered the FDA's continued progress in reviewing and making decisions on over 26 million new tobacco product applications received since spring 2020, with a majority being for electronic cigarette products. Thus far, the FDA has completed reviews for 99% of these products.


Dr. Matthew Farrelly, director of the Office of Science at the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), stated that...


Science is the cornerstone of the FDA's tobacco product review process. Today's decision to reject nearly 6,500 products was based on a lack of scientific evidence in the applications. We will continue to ensure that all new tobacco products undergo rigorous, scientific pre-market evaluations to determine whether they meet appropriate public health standards for legal marketing.


The FDA evaluates PMTAs based on public health standards, taking into account the risks and benefits to the entire population. When reviewing PMTAs for these companies, the premise is whether the products have additional advantages for adult smokers compared to tobacco flavors.


However, the evidence submitted by these applicants was insufficient to prove the existence of such advantages, hence they have received a marketing rejection order.


Brian King, the director of CTP, stated:


The applicant is responsible for providing sufficient scientific evidence to demonstrate that the introduction of a new tobacco product to the market meets the requirements for public health protection. To date, including the product in question, no flavored electronic cigarette products have met the standard for scientific adequacy. However, if the applicant meets this standard, the FDA will approve the product.


The companies that have obtained a marketing rejection order include:


Imperial Vapors LLC, Savage Enterprises, Big Time Vapes, SWT Global Supply Inc., Great Lakes Vapor, DNA Enterprise LLC doing business as Mech Sauce, and Absolute Vapor Inc., and ECBlend LLC are among the companies in the vaping industry. However, two other companies' names are not being disclosed by the FDA in order to protect potential commercial confidential information (CCI).


The FDA is committed to ensuring that all members of the industry, including manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers, comply with the law.


Tobacco products that have been denied approval are prohibited from being sold, distributed, or marketed in the United States. They cannot be introduced or placed in interstate commerce, and if the product is already on the market, it must be removed or face enforcement action.


Reference:


The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued orders denying marketing requests for around 6,500 flavored e-cigarette products.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

How Large Is France’s Off-Channel Tobacco Market? Logista Says It Has Become Structural, While the Official Estimate Is 17.7% and Some Industry Studies Put It Above 50%
How Large Is France’s Off-Channel Tobacco Market? Logista Says It Has Become Structural, While the Official Estimate Is 17.7% and Some Industry Studies Put It Above 50%
Logista France says tobacco consumption outside France’s official tobacconist network has become a large and structural market phenomenon, but official and industry estimates differ sharply. France’s TAFE study estimates that 17.7% of tobacco consumption escaped domestic taxation in 2023, with most of that volume attributed to cross-border purchasing rather than street sales. Some industry studies use broader off-channel definitions and put the figure above 50%. Meanwhile, French Customs seized 547.94 tonnes of tobacco in 2025, up 12%, showing continued pressure from illicit trade.
Sep.04
South Korea’s New Vape Rules Raise Bar for E-Liquid Makers and China-Linked Supply Chains, Expert Says
South Korea’s New Vape Rules Raise Bar for E-Liquid Makers and China-Linked Supply Chains, Expert Says
South Korea’s new vape regulations are reshaping the e-liquid market, raising compliance requirements for manufacturers, retailers and overseas suppliers. In an interview with 2Firsts, Korean nicotine products specialist Sam Kim discusses licensing barriers, inventory impacts, China-linked supply chains, and emerging regulatory challenges around nicotine analogues, nicotine-free products and DIY mixing. The Korean case may offer broader insights as governments worldwide adapt to rapidly evolving nicotine products.
Jul.16
Major U.S.  Vape Distributor Demand Vape Pays at Least $300,000 for White House Lobbying Amid Enforcement Pressure
Major U.S. Vape Distributor Demand Vape Pays at Least $300,000 for White House Lobbying Amid Enforcement Pressure
New York vape distributor Ecto World, which operates as Demand Vape, hired political consultant Roger Stone to lobby the Executive Office of the President on regulation of vaping and related products while facing state enforcement and multiple lawsuits. Public lobbying disclosures show that Ecto World paid at least $300,000 for the work through June 30, 2026. Separately, New York State announced in March that more than 28,500 pounds of vaping products tied to the company had been seized, while New York City and the state have pursued legal or enforcement actions. Public records do not show that the lobbying directly changed any specific regulatory or enforcement outcome.
Sep.08
Smoore Wins Three Heated Device Supply Lots in China Tobacco Jiangsu’s Overseas Market Project Covering Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia
Smoore Wins Three Heated Device Supply Lots in China Tobacco Jiangsu’s Overseas Market Project Covering Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia
China Tobacco Jiangsu Industrial Co., Ltd. (JSIC) has completed its 2026-2028 heated device procurement project, with Shenzhen Smoore Technology Limited securing final supply contracts for three lots: U1, C1 and C2. The project was launched through a public tender in June 2026 to support overseas markets and involved heated tobacco devices carrying JSIC’s “iRod” trademark. Candidate supplier results published on July 13 showed Smoore ranked first for the three awarded lots, while Shenzhen Yunxi Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Bodi Technology Development Co., Ltd. participated in the bidding process.
Aug.03
2Firsts Data | China’s U.S. Vape Exports Have Yet to Regain Previous Growth Momentum in H1 2026, but Hardware Grew 15.2% and 6-Methyl Nicotine-Related Products Rose 234.7%
2Firsts Data | China’s U.S. Vape Exports Have Yet to Regain Previous Growth Momentum in H1 2026, but Hardware Grew 15.2% and 6-Methyl Nicotine-Related Products Rose 234.7%
China’s vape exports to the U.S. reached approximately $1.58 billion in the first half of 2026, remaining broadly stable from a year earlier but still below previous growth momentum. 2Firsts’ analysis of China Customs data shows that the U.S. market has not simply returned to its previous trajectory after the enforcement shock and inventory-driven swings of 2025. Instead, export momentum is shifting across product categories. Vaping devices and atomization hardware increased 15.2% year over year, while 6-methyl nicotine-related and other nicotine substitute products surged 234.7%. Meanwhile, traditional nicotine-containing vaping products continued to face pressure.
Jul.22
China Tobacco Yunnan files patent for cellulose-free nicotine pouch scaffold to replace microcrystalline cellulose
China Tobacco Yunnan files patent for cellulose-free nicotine pouch scaffold to replace microcrystalline cellulose
China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co., Ltd. has filed a patent application for a cellulose-free scaffold material for nicotine pouches, proposing a combination of bioceramic material, polydextrose and sugar alcohols to replace conventional microcrystalline cellulose and cellulose derivatives. The filing aims to address issues including powdery mouthfeel, residue and limited release control, while also reducing reliance on existing cellulose-based patent portfolios. In patent examples, one fast-release formulation reached a nicotine release rate of 50% at 10 minutes and more than 90% at 20 minutes.
Sep.02