OPINION:
You probably think the rapaciousness of the slaving, communist regime in Beijing has limits, and perhaps it does. In addition to its destructiveness toward Western economies, religious freedom (Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong), American youths (TikTok), freedom of speech (take your pick) and its own people (both Teams Biden and Trump have identified it as genocidal), it turns out that the regime in Beijing and its allies in Chinese industry have time to export illegal vapes and e-cigarettes to the United States.
Team Trump has directed the Drug Enforcement Administration (and is working with state and local law enforcement) to crack down on these illegal Chinese vapes. Initially, there were some signs of progress. In April, China exported about 20 million pounds of vapes and e-cigarettes to the United States; by June, that number had fallen to about 4 million. Unfortunately, in July, it surged to more than 13 million pounds, an amount that has risen in each month thereafter, reaching more than 30 million pounds in October.
Not surprisingly, nearly all the illicit shipments seized by U.S. authorities are mislabeled as other goods, which goes to show how aggressively Chinese manufacturers and distributors are working to evade American law.
Once these vapes are in our country, many are distributed to smoke shops across the U.S., making their way into pretty much every community. In Wisconsin, for instance, a smoke shop chain was found selling them and was fined almost $13 million for violating a state law restricting illegal vape sales that had taken effect in September. During a recent arrest in Texas, law enforcement found a concealed tunnel inside a vape shop with possible cartel ties. In North Carolina, police uncovered evidence that a vape shop was trafficking Schedule I substances.
It should not amaze anyone that many of the smoke shops taking in illegal vapes and e-cigarettes have increasingly become hubs for other criminal activity. It turns out that once you start committing crimes, it gets easier as you go along. Who knew?
The good news is that Americans get it. A recent survey from the Protecting America Initiative — an organization dedicated to combating the threat of communist China — indicated that Team Trump’s crackdown on illegal Chinese-made vapes and the smoke shops that sell them has broad bipartisan support. The survey interviewed 1,000 registered voters (margin of error 3.1%) in 28 congressional districts; 80% of respondents supported stronger enforcement against illegal vapes made in China, with 65% indicating they were very supportive of stronger enforcement.
That support was especially strong for specific enforcement actions, including more interdiction at the border and more scrutiny of the smoke shops selling illegal Chinese vapes to minors.
In short, voters seem to understand the threat, as does the administration. In September, the Trump administration launched Operation Vape Trail, targeting illegal substances being trafficked through vape shops. During that effort, DEA Administrator Terrance Cole offered the following: “Illegal vape products pose hidden risks — especially to young people who often have no idea what these chemicals are that they are inhaling. By removing these products from our communities, we are taking decisive action to safeguard health, disrupt criminal networks, and prevent harm before it occurs.”
The fight against the slaving, genocidal regime in Beijing has many fronts because that regime has chosen to attack us from many directions. We need to be vigilant at all times and in all places. Even vape shops.
• Michael McKenna is a contributing editor at The Washington Times.
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