In 2024, sales of unauthorized flavored disposable vapes in the U.S. reached approximately $2.4 billion, accounting for 35% of e-cigarette sales in outlets like convenience stores and supermarkets, according to private retail sales data reviewed by Reuters. This is down from $3.2 billion in 2023 and $2.8 billion in 2022, based on data provided by market research firm Circana.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only approved 34 tobacco- or menthol-flavored vape products for legal sale, all manufactured by major tobacco companies such as British American Tobacco and Altria. All other e-cigarettes or flavored vapes sold in the U.S. are not regulated by the FDA.
Circana’s data tracked nearly 11,000 unauthorized flavored disposable e-cigarette products, covering hundreds of brands with flavors like “banana coconut” and “pineapple apple pear.” This data offers a rare glimpse into the scale of the illegal vape market in the U.S., where unauthorized products have flooded the market.
According to Circana, the total vape market it tracks, including both authorized products and non-disposable vapes, was valued at $6.8 billion in 2024. This suggests that flavored disposable vapes make up roughly 35% of the market covered by Circana, which tracks sales in specific retail channels like convenience stores but does not include online, independent or specialty vape store sales.
The figures also revealed a 25% decline in flavored disposable vape sales compared to 2023. Circana indicated that its 2024 figures are preliminary and that data on disposable vapes has been revised upwards in the past.
Both BAT and Altria, whose U.S. tobacco and vape businesses have seen market share losses to unauthorized products, acknowledge market growth. Altria estimated a 30% expansion in the U.S. vape market in 2024, with this growth driven entirely by illicit products, according to CEO Billy Gifford’s comments at a Feb. 19 conference.
The data also indicated that the FDA’s efforts to regulate the market have had some effect. For example, top-selling brands Esco Bars and Elf Bars, which were once among the highest-selling devices, were removed from the top 10 list in 2024 after the FDA blocked their imports in 2023. Despite this, other brands have since risen to take their place.
Recently, the brand Geek Bar Pulse has completely dominated all other competitors in the field of unauthorized vapes. They earned more than $582 million in 2024, while the next highest brand, Breeze Smoke, only made $311 million.
Possible reasons why Geek is so different from the rest is because of their compact, sleek design, wide variety of appealing flavors, high nicotine strength options, affordability and the convenience of being disposable. There is no need to refill or recharge which makes them readily accessible to users, particularly younger demographics. They also feature bright, flashing lights on all their vapes, making them look fun and stylish.
However, it is important to note that vaping is not fun and stylish – it can have many negative effects to one’s body such as slowing brain development, irritating lung tissue and development of EVALI, a serious and even fatal lung condition that causes coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
Not only are disposable vapes detrimental to one’s health, but they also negatively impact the environment due to their single-use nature and can also contain harmful chemicals that may leak into the environment when discarded.
