Did you know that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved 23 e-cigarette products for sale in the U.S.? All of those products are either unflavored or tobacco flavored. So why are there dozens of different flavored e-cigarettes available at most gas stations and convenience stores? The answer is that most of these products aren’t completely legal or illegal.

In 2020, the FDA told e-cigarette manufacturers they are no longer allowed to sell e-cigarettes with flavored refillable “cartridges” or “pods.” The FDA explained that these products were being used by lots of children and teenagers. One study showed that over 5 million middle and high school students were using e-cigarettes and most preferred to use pod systems like the then-popular JUUL e-cigarette. Youth e-cigarette use is concerning because most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which can be harmful to their developing brains. FDA “banned” e-cigarettes with flavored pods to help protect children.

However, that wasn’t the end of flavored e-cigarettes that are popular with kids. The next big thing was disposable e-cigarette products like Puff Bars. Puff Bars are an inexpensive e-cigarette that comes pre-filled and charged for one time use. Once it’s been used up, you throw the product away, allowing it to get around FDA’s ban on flavored “pods” or “cartridges.” Puff Bars were available in flavors that were popular with teens like O.M.G (Orange, Mango, Guava), peach ice and lemonade. One study found that up to 97% of kids and teens who vaped preferred flavors like these. Puff Bar eventually stopped selling nicotine e-cigarettes after receiving multiple warnings from the FDA.

Flavored e-cigarettes that are currently on the market include Elf Bar, Geek Vape and Smoke. These products remain popular with children and teens. However, many cities and states are working to issue bans to keep these products away from kids. As of 2024, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island have banned or restricted sales of flavored vapes. Many cities in other states have done the same thing. The logic behind these bans is that because most kids and teens prefer flavored e-cigarettes, they will not use e-cigarettes if flavored options are not available. Emerging evidence suggests these bans lead to fewer young people using e-cigarettes, however, research is ongoing.