Pressure Grows on NYC Mayor-Elect Mamdani to Sustain Crackdown on Illegal Chinese Vapes

NEW YORK — Incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing mounting calls to spell out how his administration will tackle the flood of illicit Chinese-made disposable vapes that continue to dominate New York City bodegas and smoke shops despite a federal ban.

Law enforcement officials and public health advocates say the flavored, often candy-themed products — most manufactured in China — remain widely available and are frequently linked to larger criminal networks involving narcotics, illegal firearms and money laundering.

Former New York City Sheriff Edgar Domenech, a former ATF official who specialized in tobacco contraband, urged the incoming mayor to “continue the fight” launched under Mayor Eric Adams, whose administration seized more than 1,200 pounds of illegal vapes valued at over $80 million and filed lawsuits against nine major distributors accused of targeting teenagers.

Domenech said Mamdani’s first step should be to pursue a share of the $200 million Congress recently allocated to the FDA for nationwide enforcement against illicit vapes.

The Adams administration had described the spread of unauthorized e-cigarettes as an “epidemic” among young people and vowed not to tolerate products aimed at children.

It remains unclear what priority the Mamdani administration will place on the issue. The mayor-elect’s transition team did not respond to requests for comment.

 

During the campaign, Mamdani pledged to cut fees and fines on small businesses by 50% and won the endorsement of the United Bodegas of America, an organization whose members have repeatedly been cited for selling banned vape products.

--REAL AMERICA'S VOICE

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