Let’s sweep illegal vapes from Florida store shelves.

Alysa Erichs co-authored this article.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Just this month, $700,000 in vaping products were stolen from a South Florida semi-truck.

Products from illicit sources, along with counterfeit and illegal vape products from overseas, are finding their way into the marketplace.

In addition to providing funding streams to ongoing criminal enterprises or lost tax revenue, the risk to Floridians has grown even more significant: Experts warn that some black-market vapes may be laced with fentanyl, the deadly opioid responsible for thousands of deaths in Florida and around the country. 

The issue is so pressing that Florida Retail Federation recently sounded the alarm that Florida is the number one state in the country for illegal vaping products.

These counterfeit tobacco and nicotine products are often mass-produced in places like China, where they can be purchased cheaply and sold for massive profits. Criminals then illegally bring these products into the United States. 

Not surprisingly, these criminals don’t care who their products are sold to, including those under the age of 21. They also don’t care what is in these products. 

Peddling in illegal nicotine products is nothing new to the gangs behind these schemes. Made-in-China vapes are just an extension of their criminality.

For decades, criminals robbed Florida taxpayers and businesses through illegal tobacco. In 2021 alone, over 120 million packs of cigarettes were smuggled into the state, equating to over $164 million in lost revenue for taxpayers. 

Florida retailers need partners to bolster their ongoing efforts to keep illegal nicotine products off their shelves.

They also need clarity. While the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office are ramping up enforcement efforts, more is needed to make meaningful progress. Better guidance from the FDA about which nicotine products can be legally sold would be a good start.

This is something store owners have repeatedly said they want, and the FDA has failed to provide.  

Unfortunately, illegal vapes are just one part of a much larger challenge.

The convenience and ease of internet sales are fueling a growing trend of illegal trade that is hurting Florida businesses and artificially increasing prices for Florida’s consumers.

Understanding the threats posed by illegal trade to our community, Philip Morris International launched United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade, a public and private sector partnership designed to protect America’s business and consumer interests from illicit trade and the black-market criminals that perpetuate it. 

Through our work with in-state groups, including the Florida Retail Federation, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, Florida TaxWatch and others, we are sharing best practices and fighting back against the multibillion-dollar criminal industries responsible for these illicit activities.

Florida is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States. However, the many facets of illegal trade pose a grave and growing threat to the state.

Working together and with help from, we can help ensure Florida remains a top spot to live, work, and visit. 

Kristin Reif is Head of State Government Affairs at Philip Morris International and oversees the company’s efforts to combat the illicit trade of tobacco. Ms. Reif previously served as PMI Director of External Affairs as well as PMI’s Director of Illicit Trade Prevention for Latin America and Canada. Alysa Erichs is a spokesperson for United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade (USA-IT) and former acting executive associate director for Homeland Security Investigations (HIS).