HHS Makes Push to Stop Youth Vaping

WASHINGTON-SEPTEMBER 15, 2025-The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Surgeon General today announced its Youth Vaping Resource Guide to combat the ongoing youth vaping epidemic. Despite recent declines in use, e-cigarettes remain the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students, with more than 1.6 million youth reporting current use in 2024.

Up to 85% of e-cigarette devices and pods sold in U.S. retail outlets are illegal products. Federal enforcement efforts have seized millions of unauthorized devices, but illegal sales persist, threatening the health of young people nationwide.

Last week, HHS and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the seizure of 4.7 million units of mostly Chinese unauthorized e-cigarette products with an estimated retail value of $86.5 million. The seizure was part of a joint federal operation in Chicago to examine incoming shipments and prevent illegal e-cigarettes from entering the country. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary joined DOJ Secretary Pam Bondi at a press conference highlighting the seizure.

"Vaping directly threatens children's brain development, mental health, and long-term well-being," Secretary Kennedy said. "We're acting now to protect the next generation-giving families, schools, and communities the clear warnings they need to keep kids safe from nicotine addiction and illegal products."

"The FDA and our federal partners are taking swift action to seize millions of illegal vapes at ports, distributors and retailers," said Commissioner Makary. "American kids should not be getting hooked on addictive vaping devices - especially ones that have been imported illegally from our adversaries."

"Youth vaping is not a harmless trend," said Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos, Acting Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor in the Office of the Surgeon General. "It's a serious threat to the health and development of our children. This guide is a call to action for all of us, including families, schools, health professionals, and communities, to come together and protect our youth from the dangers of nicotine addiction and toxic exposure."

President Trump's MAHA Commission Strategy Report, unveiled at HHS on September 9, 2025, calls for increased FDA enforcement on illegal vaping products, and increased awareness through public campaigns that the Administration will not allow unapproved vaping products targeting children to continue flooding our country.

The Youth Vaping Resource Guide provides actionable steps for a wide range of stakeholders committed to protecting young people from the harms of e-cigarette use.

• Parents & Caregivers: Learn the basics of vaping, understand risks, and have open conversations with children.
• Educators: Talk with students about the dangers of tobacco and e-cigarettes to support informed, healthy choices.
• Healthcare Providers: Screen adolescents for e-cigarette use and counsel them on health risks.
• Researchers: Study long-term effects of vaping to guide public health strategies.
• Regulators & Retailers: Strengthen enforcement, improve legislation, and work together to remove illegal vape products from the market.

Vaping products often contain high concentrations of nicotine, the same highly addictive chemical found in cigarettes, which can disrupt brain development, worsen anxiety or depression, and increase the risk of chronic disease. Studies have also linked nicotine consumption to blood vessel damage.

The rise of illicit flavored vaping products has been fueled by aggressive youth-targeted marketing, including bright colors, appealing flavors, and even gamification features designed to mimic digital entertainment platforms.

Young people who want to quit can text DITCHVAPE to 88709, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

To learn how you can protect young people from the harms of e-cigarette use, please visit www.surgeongeneral.gov and FDA Tobacco Education & Prevention Resources: Posters, Flyers, & More | Vaping and E-Cigarettes: A Toolkit for Working With Youth.