Not nicotine, still a problem: The chemical keeping flavored vapes on shelves, ex-ATF warns
Article excerpt
Edgar Domenech, former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Deputy Director, warned that Chinese-made vapes marketed to children “create confusion” and exploit loopholes by using a nicotine substitute. Domenech said the Chinese vape makers are using an unregulated substitute to nicotine in order to bypass regulatory agencies, according to an interview with Fox News […]
Edgar Domenech, former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Deputy Director, warned that Chinese-made vapes marketed to children “create confusion” and exploit loopholes by using a nicotine substitute.
Domenech said the Chinese vape makers are using an unregulated substitute to nicotine in order to bypass regulatory agencies, according to an interview with Fox News Digital. This way, the flavored vapes can still be sold and marketed to children.
“These Chinese organized crime groups, what they realized is if they go ahead and just change the ingredients in the packaging, then they create confusion and there is no enforcement or regulatory agency that then is responsible to address these illicit, illegal, disposable vapes,” Domenech said.
The synthetic compound is called 6-methyl nicotine, also known as 6MN or “NIX.”
“NIX” is a nicotine-like chemical sold under brand names such as Nixodine and Metatine. Some manufacturers claim products containing this chemical are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Domenech said the illegal substitute hasn’t been studied enough to understand its qualities, or how addictive it is.
“Now, all of a sudden, the FDA doesn’t have oversight, but it’s the same product. It’s a disposable vape product with flavors targeting our kids and our youth with unknown chemicals,” Domenech said.
He argued that vape companies are creating new rules and dodging old ones, putting themselves “five steps in front” of regulators.
Vaping has become a major issue for children and teens. Highly addictive nicotine chemicals and appealing flavors reel children in.
FDA TO ALLOW ZYN NICOTINE POUCHES TO BE MARKETED AS LESS HARMFUL THAN CIGARETTES
In June, the FDA published its 2025 Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey, which indicated that efforts the Trump administration is taking to combat youth tobacco use may be working. The survey revealed that overall tobacco use, including e-cigarettes and cigarettes, declined. 7.2% of all students, roughly two million, reported using tobacco, according to the survey.
“There is nothing healthy about the illegal disposable vapes that are flavored targeting our kids,” Domenech said.