Finance
US Import Block on Vapes Could Cut Illegal Sales by a Third, Bat Says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 12, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 12, 2026
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A US vape import ban could cut illegal sales by a third, impacting the unregulated e-cigarette market, according to BAT's CEO.
US Vape Import Ban Could Slash Illegal Sales by One Third, Says BAT
Impact of US Import Block on Vape Market
By Emma Rumney
Current Market Dynamics
LONDON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A potential U.S. move to block imports of some disposable vapes could cut the booming market for unregulated e-cigarettes by as much as a third, British American Tobacco's CEO told Reuters on Thursday, though any impact is unlikely before 2027.
Potential Effects of the ITC Ruling
Tobacco giants including BAT and U.S. Marlboro-maker Altria have spent years fighting a flood of mostly Chinese-made vapes that lack U.S. authorisation for sale but have still come to dominate the world's largest market for smoking alternatives.
Future Regulatory Considerations
BAT estimates unregulated devices make up about 70% of U.S. e-cigarette sales, hitting both its vape and traditional tobacco businesses. The company has two active cases at the U.S. International Trade Commission, seeking to block imports of unregulated devices.
Last year, an ITC judge ruled in BAT's favour in a patent dispute and recommended a general exclusion order that would block disposable vapes infringing its patents. BAT said alongside annual results on Thursday that it expects a full ITC determination in March, followed by a 60-day presidential review.
CEO Tadeu Marroco told Reuters that such a block could have a meaningful impact on the market, which he defined as a drop to below 50% of industry sales, or by roughly a third. But the scale was hard to predict, he added.
He also warned that a long U.S. supply chain for such devices and large inventories would delay any effect. "So even if you get the support from the ITC ... it will not be until early next year that you have a material impact on that," he said.
Marroco also said he would not be surprised if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched a programme to test a different approach to vapes, potentially including flavoured vapes. After years of rejecting most applications for new nicotine products, the FDA has looked to speed up or streamline its processes.
(Reporting by Emma Rumney. Editing by Mark Potter)
Key Takeaways
- •US considering a ban on some disposable vape imports.
- •BAT predicts a potential 33% reduction in illegal sales.
- •Unregulated vapes dominate 70% of US e-cigarette market.
- •BAT has ongoing legal actions to block unregulated imports.
- •FDA may explore new approaches to vape regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions about US import block on vapes could cut illegal sales by a third, BAT says
1What are unregulated e-cigarettes?
Unregulated e-cigarettes are vaping devices that have not received official approval from regulatory bodies, often lacking safety and quality standards.
2What is a patent dispute?
A patent dispute occurs when two parties claim rights over a patented invention, often leading to legal battles over the use and ownership of the patent.
3What is a presidential review in regulatory processes?
A presidential review is a process where proposed regulations or decisions are evaluated by the president or their administration before implementation.
