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Phil Kiver: Washington’s illegal vapes are a national security issue
By Phil Kiver
Recently, Washington state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal endorsed a bill sponsored by State Senator T’wina Nobles and State Representative Kristen Reeves to end the sale of non-FDA-approved flavored tobacco and nicotine products. The argument cited for enacting the legislation is that many of these products’ manufacturers target Washington’s kids with flavors like grape, watermelon, shortcake and cotton candy. What isn’t mentioned enough, however, is that they also pose a major national security risk.
Most of these products come from China with the blessing of the Chinese Communist Party’s State Tobacco Administration, which benefits from their sale.
China has banned these flavored vapes for sale in its country but has no problem flooding the United States market with them – especially Washington.
Weakening public health in America strengthens China. More important for the Chinese Communist Party, though, is that this product is profitable. All told, China’s State Tobacco Administration brings in over $200 billion a year – enough to help fund China’s military. What that means, of course, is that every flavored vape we allow to be illegally sold in Washington is helping to fund the Chinese military.
Selling flavored vapes is illegal under federal law. In 2020, the FDA enacted regulations that disallowed the sale of flavored refillable pods or cartridges. China, however, has not stopped pursuing the market. For example, in late October, the FDA announced a joint operation with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that had seized 3 million illegal units.
Nobles and Reeves are correct. We need to end the sale of these illegally flavored products in our state as soon as possible.
What we shouldn’t do, though, is ban legal, U.S.-products that have the FDA’s approval. Studies have shown that vaping decreases the use of traditional nicotine-based products, which is slowly shrinking the market demand. Prohibition always leads to black markets regardless of the product.
Unfortunately, a recent decision by the International Trade Commission threatens to ban the only FDA-regulated vaping device on the market today. This issue should be taken up by Washington Congresswoman Kim Schrier, who serves on a key health care panel, and Suzan K. DelBene, who serves on the Ways and Means Committee, which also has jurisdiction over this matter.
If the ITC moves forward with this ban, the Chinese Communist Party will continue to profit. By forcing out American-made vapes, Chinese officials who care neither for the health nor the safety of American citizens will have even more funds to manipulate the American market and fund their territorial ambitions.
The ITC needs to consider the consequences of its actions. Rather than go after legal, FDA-approved vaping products, the federal government should focus on getting the illegal, dangerous flavored vaping products that are marketed directly to our children out of our state in the manner that Sens. Nobles and Reeves are proposing. That will truly have a positive impact on public health and is overdue.
Let’s hope Nobles’ and Reeves’ bill will soon become law, and the federal government can then take a cue from these state lawmakers by streamlining their enforcement efforts. Everyone would stand to benefit.
Phil Kiver, Ph.D., is a Washington state native, defense and public safety analyst. He graduated from Eastern Washington University and holds a doctorate in strategic studies from Henley-Putnam University.