Indiana SB 185 Advances: Foreign-Made Vapes Would Be Barred, With Focus on China

Jan.27

Indiana State Sen. Ron Alting is backing Senate Bill 185, which would ban vape shops in Indiana from selling any foreign-made vaping products and restrict retail shelves to U.S.-made items. Alting has framed the proposal as a consumer-safety measure and has singled out China, citing industry reporting that China produces more than 90% of the world’s vape hardware.

Key Points

• Location: West Lafayette, Indiana, United States

• Sponsor: State Sen. Ron Alting (Ron Alting, District 22; Tippecanoe and Carroll counties)

• Core proposal: Vape shops would be limited to U.S.-made vaping products; foreign-made products would be banned

• Focus: China highlighted as the primary concern

• Rationale cited: concerns about illegal or unregulated chemicals and consumer health risks

• Industry reference: Tobacco Reporter cited as saying China makes over 90% of global vape hardware

• Status: Unanimously cleared the Senate Committee on Public Policy on Jan. 14

2Firsts, Jan 27, 2026

According to WLFI, Indiana State Sen. Ron Alting is advancing Senate Bill 185 (SB 185), a proposal that would bar vape shops across Indiana from selling any foreign-made vaping products and restrict retail shelves to American-made products only. Alting said the move is aimed at improving consumer safety.

Alting pointed specifically to China as his primary concern, arguing that Chinese-made products dominate what is currently available in vape shops. Citing Tobacco Reporter, he noted that China produces more than 90% of the world’s vape hardware.

Alting contended that some of these products contain illegal or unregulated chemicals and may pose health risks to consumers. He also said China does not sell certain products domestically but ships them to the United States, where they end up in vape shops.

SB 185 passed unanimously through the Indiana Senate Committee on Public Policy on Jan. 14.

The bill is positioned to shift vape shops toward domestically manufactured products while giving law enforcement additional clarity and authority to monitor and regulate retailers statewide. It now moves to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for further consideration.

Image source: WLFI

References:

[1] Indiana Lawmakers Advance Bill to Ban Foreign Vape Products, Targeting China

Also Read:

[1] Proposal of Intergenerational Tobacco Ban in Indiana Senate Bill

[2] Rising Trend of E-cigarette Usage in Indiana

[3] New E-Cigarette Law Takes Effect in Texas in September: Complete Ban on Marijuana Vape Sales, Violators Face Up to One Year in Prison

[4] Texas vaping bill to take effect in September, e-cigarettes and consumables with Chinese - made components will be banned

[5] Texas Police Raid CBD Shop, Seize Hundreds of THC Vapes

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