FLER at APE

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that more than 18 million illegal e-cigarettes valued at over $175 million were seized during “Operation Red Mist,” a joint enforcement initiative involving the U.S. Coast Guard and the FDA. The operation primarily targeted maritime vape shipments originating from China and focused on combating illicit importation, transportation, and distribution activities.

A court declaration signed by FDA official Melanie M. Keller on March 24, 2026 detailed the status of previously issued reduction-in-force notices affecting employees at the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made procedural progress in its lawsuit against North Carolina-based e-cigarette distributor Dream Distro LLC and its owner. A federal district judge granted the government’s request for entry of default after the defendants failed to respond to the complaint within 21 days of service. The government will next seek a default judgment, including a permanent injunction.

On March 13, 2026, R.J. Reynolds and related companies filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, seeking review of the U.S. International Trade Commission’s final ruling in the disposable vape Section 337 investigation.

E-cigarette brand Kanger has recently launched its new e-cigarette, the Subox Mix 50K, across multiple online channels in the United States. The product features a “vaporless mode” and a transparent digital display design, supporting switching between approximately 25K vapor puffs and 25K vaporless puffs, for a total of 50,000 puffs, while displaying battery level and mode status in the transparent pod section.

PMI’s U.S. business released a white paper and cited a national online survey showing that 79.00% of Americans surveyed believe more should be done to reduce smoking-related harm. The paper calls on policymakers, public health authorities, and medical professionals to place cigarette smoking back at the center of public health priorities, and recommends broader access to FDA-authorized smoke-free alternatives, clearer nicotine risk communication, and risk-based taxation.