London, February 24, 2025 – Private retail sales data reviewed by Reuters indicates that sales of unauthorized, flavoured disposable vapes in the United States totaled around $2.4 billion in 2024.
The figures, representing about 35% of the e-cigarette sales from convenience stores and supermarkets, mark a significant portion of the overall vape market, according to market research firm Circana.
The data shows that while the unauthorised market shrank from $3.2 billion in 2023 to $2.4 billion in 2024 - and from $2.8 billion in 2022 - it still remains a major segment within a broader $6.8 billion market tracked by Circana. The firm’s analysis, which covered approximately 11,000 unauthorised flavoured disposable e-cigarette products across hundreds of brands, does not capture sales made online, in independent stores, or in specialty vape outlets.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized only 34 tobacco- or menthol-flavoured vape products for legal sale, all produced by major tobacco companies such as British American Tobacco and Altria. By contrast, the unauthorised market features a wide range of flavours - from "cookie and cloud" to "magic cotton candy"- underscoring the appeal of these products to consumers despite regulatory restrictions.
Industry sources have noted that the data on disposable vapes is preliminary and subject to revisions, with previous estimates for 2024 having been adjusted upward. Despite a reported 25% contraction in sales of flavoured disposable vapes compared to 2023, key industry players suggest that the overall U.S. vape market expanded by 30% this year, driven entirely by illicit products. Altria CEO Billy Gifford highlighted this trend during a conference on February 19.
The figures also reflect the impact of regulatory efforts, as top-selling labels such as Esco Bars and Elf Bars fell out of the top 10 most sold devices in 2024 after the FDA blocked their imports in 2023. Other brands have since risen to fill the void.
As authorities continue to crack down on unauthorised products, the data provides a rare glimpse into the scale of the illicit vape market in the U.S., highlighting both its significant economic footprint and the challenges facing regulators in curbing the sale of non-compliant products.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said a Russian drone strike on a bus carrying miners in the Dnipropetrovsk region has killed at least 12 peopl...
A five-year-old boy and his father have returned to their home in a Minneapolis suburb after being detained by U.S. immigration officers and held for ...
Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said on Sunday that it carried out a targeted operation against the al-Qaeda-affiliated g...
A daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in Richmond, one of London’s most affluent and traditionally quiet districts, has heightened security concern...
A Democratic candidate has won a special election for a Texas state senate seat by a double-digit margin, flipping the district from Republican contro...
From 1 June 2025, it will be illegal for businesses in the United Kingdom to sell or supply all single-use or "disposable" vapes. Only reusable vapes are allowed for sale.
As U.S. authorities intensify their crackdown on unauthorized e-cigarette products, several vape companies are altering their business models and corporate structures—efforts that are complicating regulatory enforcement.
Newly released Epstein files name French President Emmanuel Macron among figures referenced in millions of disclosed documents.
The United Nations faces the risk of “imminent financial collapse” because of unpaid contributions, including substantial arrears from the United States, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned.
Vladimir Putin said Russia earned more than $15 billion from defence exports in 2025 and fulfilled all military-technical contracts despite what he described as growing pressure from Western countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has begun negotiations with European leaders over Greenland and that an agreement is already taking shape.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington may be able to reach a deal with Cuba, days after he threatened tariffs on any country supplying the island with oil.
U.S. stock markets finished mixed on Wednesday (28 January) as investors reacted calmly after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, a decision that had been widely expected and largely priced in.
The S&P 500 edged to a record closing high on Tuesday, marking its fifth consecutive day of gains, as strong advances in technology stocks offset a sharp selloff in healthcare shares and a mixed batch of corporate earnings.
Chevron is in talks with Iraq’s oil ministry over potential changes to the commercial framework governing the West Qurna 2 oilfield, one of the world’s largest producing assets, after Baghdad nationalised the field earlier this month following U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia’s Lukoil.
Argentina's economic activity shrunk 0.3% in November compared with the same month last year, marking the first monthly contraction of 2025, data from Argentina's national statistics agency showed on Wednesday.
Wall Street closed sharply lower on Tuesday as global markets fell after U.S. President Donald Trump’s new tariff threats against Europe unsettled investors and revived fears of renewed volatility.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment