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WASHINGTON — A “MAGA”-branded vape company has been boasting about revitalizing US manufacturing with its product — even as its founder lobbies against legislation that could cut off its supply of illicit e-cigs from China.
Entrepreneur Brady Bates has promised to “Make Vaping American Again” by founding Fifty Bar, a disposable e-cigarette seller that touts being the “only” one “built in the USA” on its website — despite its non-FDA authorized vapes being manufactured in Shenzhen, China.
That’s true for nearly all of the flavored disposable vapes on the US market, an illicit $2.4 billion industry as of last year that has exploded in America.
Fifty Bar’s founder lobbies against legislation that could cut off his supply of illicit vapes from China. Fifty Bar
After buying disposable vapes from Chinese wholesalers, Fifty Bar’s e-cigs are filled with liquid flavors in California, packaged and shipped out for sale.
Last September, the FDA dinged the company for selling those disposable flavored vapes without premarket authorization.
“All new tobacco products on the market without the statutorily required premarket authorization are marketed unlawfully and are subject to enforcement action at FDA’s discretion,” the letter states.
“Please note that tobacco products offered for import into the United States that appear to be adulterated and/or misbranded may be detained or refused admission.”
Bates’ company is also unique in marketing its e-cigs to US consumers by suggesting alignment with President Trump’s efforts to bring manufacturers back to the States from overseas.
“Fifty Bar is dedicated to pioneering the trail of American disposable vape products,” its website declares. “We believe it’s time to bring home something truly genuine.”
Meanwhile, Bates has been on a lobbying campaign in states to oppose bills that would regulate his company and stop it from selling the Chinese-made disposable vapes.
The disposable e-cigarette seller touts being the “only” one “built in the USA” on its website — despite its non-FDA authorized vapes being manufactured in Shenzhen, China. VCG via Getty Images
Bates’ company is unique in marketing its e-cigs to US consumers by suggesting alignment with President Trump’s efforts to bring manufacturers back to the states from overseas. Vape Wholesale USA
“I’m the guy from Fifty Bar that wants to bring manufacturing back to America,” he declared to Arizona state legislators in February, while acknowledging that his product was made in China.
“You want to manufacture here in Arizona,” Republican state Sen. Kevin Payne asked Bates in a Feb. 12 hearing. “What’s stopping you from doing it now?”
“Well, there’s nothing stopping me from doing it now. We already do part of it in California,” Bates said, later adding, “We source the parts from China.”
After buying the disposable vapes from Chinese wholesalers, Fifty Bar’s e-cigs are filled with liquid flavors in California, packaged and shipped out for sale. Fifty Bar
When pressed about how an Arizona bill would help him produce the disposable vapes in the US, he demurred.
“If this bill goes through, then I can’t sell my products into the state of Arizona,” he admitted. “This is not the only state that we’re facing these fights in. There’s 44 states that we were facing registry bills in. Fourteen of them passed.”
“When I say they passed, they completely demolished the entire marketplace,” he added.
“I’m the guy from Fifty Bar that wants to bring manufacturing back to America,” Brady Bates declared to Arizona state legislators in February, while acknowledging that his product was made in China. LinkedIn / Brady Bates
“These are currently illegal right?” Democratic state Sen. Brian Fernandez pointed out. “So you’re selling them unlawfully here now.”
Federal and state prosecutors in New York — where 99% of the discarded vapes were exported from China — have also targeted the vape distributors for selling the illicit products to minors.
The leading Chinese distributors are owned by the billionaire Zhang Shengwei, known as the “Magician of Zhenzhen” for his control of the vape market, Bloomberg reported.
A Massachusetts government task force also released a report in February showing that the seizure of illicit Chinese e-cigs skyrocketed 21,000% and lost the state nearly $240 million in tax revenue since 2018.
President Trump has already slapped 20% tariffs on Chinese imports. REUTERS
Trump has already slapped 20% tariffs on Chinese imports — but promised to “save vaping again” on the 2024 campaign trail after having halted regulators from ending distribution of the flavored e-cigarettes in his first term.
“I saved Flavored Vaping in 2019, and it greatly helped people get off smoking,” Trump posted on his Truth Social in September 2024. “I raised the age to 21, keeping it away from the ‘kids.’ Kamala and Joe want everything banned, killing small businesses all over the Country. I’ll save Vaping again!”
Trump’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Marty Makary, said in his Senate confirmation hearing earlier this month that US markets were “being flooded” with unlawful Chinese vapes.
“We have no idea what’s in these products,” FDA nom Marty Makary said. “It’s very concerning, and it’s not right that they’re banned — products are banned in China, but they’re manufacturing and sending them to the United States.” REUTERS
“We have no idea what’s in these products,” Makary told Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.). “It’s very concerning, and it’s not right that they’re banned — products are banned in China, but they’re manufacturing and sending them to the United States.”
“Fifty Bar is a US-based company with a clear mission,” Bates told The Post. “We are working to take back the adult vaping industry from foreign billionaires and restore it to the hardworking American companies that built it many years ago.”
“We oppose efforts from Big Tobacco to impose arbitrary regulatory schemes on small businesses like mine that interfere with our ability to expand American manufacturing operations,” he said. “Our priority has and always will be to ensure quality, transparency, and safety while reducing reliance on foreign goods and labor.”
“We firmly believe that these products should be made here in America. We won’t rest until that goal is accomplished,” he added.
Reps for the FDA did not respond to a request for comment.
