Massachusetts Illegal E-Cigarette Seizure Surges by 21,000% in 2024

Key points:

1. The number of confiscated illegal e-cigarettes in Massachusetts in 2024 rose from 1,326 to 279,432, an increase of 21,000%.

2. The black market trade of banned products such as untaxed cigarettes and flavored cigars is highly active, believed to be spurred by high taxes and strict regulations.

3. Restrictive policies in the 2019 Modern Tobacco Control Act have led to a loss of tax revenue for state governments, putting pressure on small and medium-sized businesses, and causing consumers to turn to illicit sellers.

2Firsts, reporting from Shenzhen - The seizure of illegal e-cigarettes in Massachusetts surged by 21,000% in 2024, Tobaccoreporter said, citing a report.

The state's Multi-Agency Illegal Tobacco Task Force which is under the State Department of Revenue, stated that the number of e-cigarettes seized by state police has increased from 1,326 to 279,432.

The report also found that the black market trade of untaxed mint cigarettes, flavored cigars, and other prohibited products is very active, believed to be triggered by high taxes and strict bans.

The restrictive policies in the state can be traced back to the 2019 Modernization of Tobacco Control Act, which banned the sale of flavored tobacco products and imposed a 75% consumption tax on electronic nicotine systems. 

This also enables local authorities to impose their own controls, with many towns increasing taxes, implementing intergenerational bans, and prohibiting specific products.

Peter Brennan, Executive Director of the New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketing Association, said,

"These numbers are absolutely staggering and prove what [we] warned from the start—Massachusetts has created the perfect environment for illegal smuggling. Our members are losing customers to the illicit market every day, and the state is bleeding tax revenue because criminals are filling the void created by excessive taxes and product bans.”

“This report is also clear evidence of just how misguided additional prohibitions would be,” Brennan said. “Ideas like creating a so-called nicotine-free generation or limiting sales of nicotine products to adult-only stores will only make a bad situation worse—driving even more consumers to illegal sellers, costing even more tax revenue, and putting even more pressure on our small businesses.”