Skip to main content

FDA Orders Stores to Stop Selling Elf Bar Disposable Vapes

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Physician’s Briefing Staff HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, June 23, 2023 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it has sent warning letters to 189 retailers, telling them to stop selling unauthorized tobacco products such as Elf Bar and Esco Bars.

Both brands are disposable e-cigarettes sold in flavors known to appeal to children and teenagers, including bubblegum and cotton candy. A federal ban on flavored vapes that was issued in early 2020 does not cover disposable vapes.

The warning letters were sent following a nationwide inspection blitz conducted over several weeks.

"All players in the supply chain -- including retailers -- have a role in keeping illegal e-cigarettes off the shelves," Brian King, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of FDA Center for Tobacco Products, said in the agency news release. "This latest blitz should be a wake-up call for retailers of Elf Bar and Esco Bars products nationwide. If they're waiting for a personal invitation to comply with the law, they might just get it in the form of a warning letter or other action from the FDA."

To help prevent these products from illegally entering the marketplace, the FDA issued import alerts for products under both the Elf Bar and Esco Bars brands. An import alert puts these products on the red list, which allows the FDA to detain a product without physically examining it at the time of entry. Last month, the FDA issued orders allowing customs officials to seize shipments of Elf Bar, Esco Bars, and two other brands.

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Parental E-Cigarette Use Linked to Increase in Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis

TUESDAY, May 28, 2024 -- Parental electronic cigarette use is associated with increased odds of pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD), according to a research letter published online...

E-Cigarette Use After Smoking May Up Risk for Lung Cancer

WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2024 -- Former cigarette smokers who use electronic cigarettes may have a higher risk for lung cancer than those who do not vape, according to a study presented...

Use of Electronic Cigarettes Tied to Earlier Age at Onset of Adult Asthma

FRIDAY, May 17, 2024 -- Past 30-day electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use among adults is associated with earlier ages of asthma onset, according to a study published...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.