U.S. officials are seizing more shipments of unauthorized electronic cigarettes. But industry data shows thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China.

Federal officials are seizing more shipments of unauthorized electronic cigarettes at U.S. ports, but thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China, according to government and industry data reviewed by The Associated Press.

The figures underscore the chaotic state of the nation’s $7 billion vaping market and raise questions about how the U.S. government can stop the flow of fruit-flavored disposable e-cigarettes used by 1 in 10 American teens and adolescents.

More than 11,500 unique vaping products are being sold in U.S. stores, up 27% from 9,000 products in June, according to tightly held industry data from analytics firm Circana.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    141·
    11 months ago

    This town has around 60,000 people. The metro area is maybe 100,000. I looked it up the other day- based on Google Maps, there are 18 vape stores here. Sure, they also sell CDB products and Delta-X, but you can literally get those at any gas station. I honestly do not know how this town can support 18 vape shops.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        6·
        11 months ago

        These aren’t even smoke shops from what I can tell. They don’t advertise tobacco at all. Just e-cigs, vapes, CBD and delta-x, vapes being the biggest advertising point on their signage. But yeah, 32 is even crazier.

        In this town, most the 18 are along one road too. Granted, it’s the main north/south artery in town, but it still doesn’t make much sense, especially since it’s perpendicular to the interstate, meaning they’re not trying to catch people pulling off the road who need vape juice or whatever.

        • Sylver@lemmy.world
          3·
          11 months ago

          I’m in the unique position of being one of those smoke shop owners. We don’t deal in any nicotine, though we did sell those “ELF bars” for a few short months just trying out the market.

          I want no part in selling nicotine after that experience, the customers are an entirely different breed. It’s actually quite easy making a business out here based on trust and transparency; I only source from 3 well known companies that use third party testing, and I LOVE educating people about the different forms of THC found in cannabis.

          If we didn’t do anything special to distinguish us, we would have failed like the last 50 smoke shops around the area.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
            3·
            11 months ago

            Interesting, so you sell nicotine-free vape juice? Is that what these other stores that aren’t advertising tobacco doing too?

            • Sylver@lemmy.world
              5·
              11 months ago

              Nope, any vape stuff I sell is now only cannabis CBD/THC related. No nicotine, no flavored nothingness, everything must be purchased by 21+ years of age. (Pennsylvania). Those box vape mod kits and vape juice shit take up so much shelf space that I can’t justify trying to compete with all the other stores that DO sell that stuff. I stay in my lane and offer the best deals on what I know.

              So it just boils down to those products being on a shelf don’t make as much money as THC vape products on the same shelf. So much less, that I probably would have to downsize other inventories

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
                2·
                11 months ago

                Oh wow, interesting. I wonder if that’s what they’re doing and they just can’t advertise on the signage that they’re selling THC products?

    • Lifecoach5000@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      11 months ago

      I would venture to guess theres probably about at least 15 shops within a 5 mile radius in my medium sized suburban town. I’ve always found it strange.

    • Galapagon@sh.itjust.works
      4·
      11 months ago

      Assuming 10% of 100,000 is 10k divided by 18 stores is 555 customers each. If everyone only goes once a year, and theyre all open 5 days a week, they still each have 2 customers per day

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        4·
        11 months ago

        Is 2 customers per day really sustainable for a business like that? The only thing I can think of is that they’re just waiting for the state to legalize weed and all become dispensaries, but there is absolutely no movement on that front.

        • Steve@startrek.website
          4·
          11 months ago

          Maybe, if they both are there for their whole year supply of vapes…

          I dont know how much you can spend on vape, but let me guess $1000 for the year x 2 customers, and assume 50% gross margin.

          So thats $2000 revenue per day, less 1000 for the product, leaves $1000 per day to pay for employees, rent, utilities, advertising, and profit for the owners.

          This assumes everyone in town is a customer…

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
            3·
            11 months ago

            I see a lot of people around here vaping, but I don’t think that’s a safe assumption. Otherwise, you could be right. I have no idea. I’ve never vaped and I quit smoking 23 years ago. I just think it’s weird that there are so many.

          • Sylver@lemmy.world
            3·
            11 months ago

            At $20 a pop, with some nicotine addicted habits of buying a new one every other day, that’s over $3,500 a year for just one customer.

        • Galapagon@sh.itjust.works
          3·
          11 months ago

          It depends, if they’re spending say… $60 each? That’s enough to pay a minimum wage employee at least. Also remember these are conservative numbers I’ve made up. It’s likely that people visit more than once per year, sometimes spend more, sometimes spend less exc.

      • epyon22
        1·
        11 months ago

        Many of those businesses won’t be around in a couple years imo. Just cause they exist doesn’t mean they are making money there was a big boom recently with grey area of marijuana and vapes coming on the market. They will settle to a more reasonable level. There is also the possibility that many of these businesses were black market marijuana dealers and now going legitimate so just making their existing business more in the public spot light.