MO · 10-Q · 2026Q3 · Full report

Illicit E-Vapor Enforcement

ALTRIA GROUP, INC. · 2026-10-29 · Importance 26 · Surprise 24

The FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have taken steps to impede imports of illicit flavored disposable e-vapor products, including seizing unauthorized products and issuing warning letters to importers. Altria said such products nevertheless continue to proliferate because of insufficient enforcement against products requiring FDA review for which manufacturers have not submitted premarket tobacco product applications. Management expects effective enforcement to occur gradually and continues to monitor competitive threats across nicotine categories.

Key facts

• California’s September 2025 settlement with a foreign manufacturer and domestic distributors prohibits them from selling or shipping flavored e-vapor products into California, including shipments they know will be resold or reshipped there. source
• Insufficient enforcement against products requiring FDA review with no PMTA submission has allowed such products to proliferate, while FDA delays in defining pathways and issuing orders have left few authorized smoke-free products available to adult consumers. source
• Altria does not believe federal enforcement efforts against products requiring FDA review without a PMTA have significantly reduced the volume of those products on the market. source
• Altria settled in October 2025 its federal California lawsuit against manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of illicit e-vapor products. source
• Altria expects effective enforcement against illicit e-vapor products to occur gradually and continues to monitor competitive threats to its brands across nicotine categories. source