FDA Warns 3 Major Flavored Disposable Distributors

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued warning letters to three distributors for selling and/or distributing multiple brands of unauthorized e-cigarette products.

The illegal products listed in the warning letters sent to ABS Distribution Inc., EC Supply, Inc. and Easy Wholesale, LLC include the popular and youth-appealing e-cigarette products Elf Bar/EB Design, Esco Bars, and Puff Max (Puff Bars).

“FDA is committed to keeping a finger on the pulse of the rapidly evolving e-cigarette landscape, including through a variety of scientific assets equipped to quickly identify products with high youth appeal,” said Brian King, director of FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP). “We will continue to use this data-driven approach to inform actions across the entire supply chain, including against those who distribute illegal products between manufacturers and the point of sale.”

The distributors receiving warning letters sell and/or distribute e-cigarettes in the United States that lack authorization from FDA, which is a prohibited act under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, according to an FDA release.

All of the brands cited in these warning letters have been identified as being among the most popular e-cigarettes among U.S. youth.

“Warning letters are generally the first step once an inspection reveals a violation of the law,” said Ann Simoneau, director of the Office of Compliance and Enforcement within CTP. “We will monitor to ensure these violations are corrected, and if they are not, the recipient is at risk of further actions such as civil money penalties, seizures, and injunctions.”

The FDA has stepped up enforcement of flavored disposable products after several lawmakers complained the agency wasn’t fulfilling its duties.