WASHINGTON — A vape company branded with “MAGA” has been promoting the revitalization of US manufacturing through its products, despite its founder actively opposing legislation that could disrupt the supply of unauthorized e-cigarettes from China. Entrepreneur Brady Bates, the creator of Fifty Bar, a disposable e-cigarette brand, claims to be “Making Vaping American Again” by selling products that are allegedly the only ones “built in the USA,” even though they are actually manufactured in Shenzhen, China. This is the case for most flavored disposable vapes in the US market, which has become a booming $2.4 billion industry. Bates has been lobbying against laws that could potentially restrict the import of these Chinese-made vapes.
After purchasing disposable vapes from Chinese suppliers, Fifty Bar fills them with liquid flavors in California before packaging and distributing them for sale. In September, the FDA reprimanded the company for selling these unauthorized flavored vapes without prior approval. Despite this, Fifty Bar continues to claim on its website that it is the sole producer of American-made disposable vapes, a statement that contradicts the reality of its manufacturing process in China.
Fifty Bar stands out in its marketing by connecting its e-cigarettes to President Trump’s efforts to boost domestic manufacturing. Bates has been actively fighting against state bills that aim to regulate his business and prevent the sale of Chinese-made disposable vapes. During a hearing in Arizona, Bates expressed his desire to bring manufacturing back to the US while acknowledging that his products are currently made in China. When questioned about producing the vapes in Arizona, Bates mentioned that they already conduct part of the process in California, with parts sourced from China. He admitted that if certain bills were to pass, it could hinder their ability to sell products in various states, including Arizona. Bates urged legislators to consider the impact of such legislation on his company’s efforts to shift production back to the United States.
Manufactured in China, the speaker mentioned that when the products were approved, they completely dominated the market. “Aren’t these currently illegal?” Democratic state Senator Brian Fernandez pointed out. “So you’re now unlawfully selling them here.” Authorities in New York, where 99% of the disposed vapes originated from China, have taken action against the vape distributors for selling these illicit items to minors. President Trump has imposed a 20% tariff on Chinese imports. According to Reuters, the prominent Chinese distributors are under the ownership of billionaire Zhang Shengwei, also known as the “Magician of Zhenzhen” for his dominance in the vape industry. A report by a Massachusetts government task force revealed that the confiscation of illegal Chinese e-cigarettes surged by 21,000% and caused the state to lose nearly $240 million in tax revenue since 2018. Despite the tariffs on Chinese imports, Trump pledged to “revive vaping” during his 2024 campaign, having previously prevented regulators from discontinuing the distribution of flavored e-cigarettes in his first term. “We have no knowledge of the contents of these products,” said FDA nominee Marty Makary. “It’s worrisome that these products are banned in China but are being produced and shipped to the US.” In a post on Truth Social in September 2024, Trump claimed, “I saved Flavored Vaping in 2019, which greatly assisted people in quitting smoking. I raised the age to 21 to keep it away from ‘kids.’ Kamala and Joe want to ban everything, causing the demise of small businesses nationwide. I will save Vaping once more!” Dr. Marty Makary, Trump’s nominee to lead the FDA, expressed in a Senate confirmation hearing that the US markets were flooded with illegal Chinese vapes. “We have no idea what’s in these products,” Makary informed Senator Ashley Moody. “It’s alarming, and it’s not right that they’re banned in China, yet they’re being manufactured and sent to the United States.” Requests for comment from the FDA and Fifty Bar representatives were not immediately answered.
