USPS has announced it will not be delivering packages containing unauthorized or unregulated items.
The USPS has issued a no-tolerance policy on the shipment of unregulated products.
That means certain distributors won’t see their packages move, and your local post office will refuse to accept them, as reported by Reuters.
This move is part of the USPS’s strict adherence to federal regulations that prohibit the delivery of unauthorized vaping products.
Fewer than 40 e-cigarette items are currently FDA-approved, and demand for unregulated alternatives has overwhelmed enforcement agencies.
Demand Vape, a major New York-based supplier, has been caught in the crosshairs of these federal changes.
USPS revoked its mailing privileges after the city’s Law Department provided evidence showing it was shipping vape products without FDA approval.
The company had been selling fruit and candy-flavored vapes in places where those flavors are banned by local law.
USPS informed Demand Vapes that packages containing Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems will not be accepted at the local Buffalo BME Office, as shared in a letter reported by Reuters.
This decision by USPS could benefit major tobacco companies like Altria and British American Tobacco, who have faced competition from unregulated vapes imported from China for numerous years.
Altria and BAT’s products are authorized to be delivered by the USPS.
Reuters estimated the unauthorized vape market was worth around $2.4 billion in 2024.
Demand Vape refuted USPS’s claims, stating they have not violated any laws and highlighting that the vape industry currently operates in a “regulatory grey area.”
With so few FDA-approved products, vape companies cannot meet consumer demand, the company said.
In a statement, Demand Vape expressed: “We firmly dismiss any portrayal that suggests Demand Vape is anything other than a transparent, lawful, and reputable enterprise.”
The U.S. put restrictions on the sale and shipment of vapes by imposing import tariffs and seizures at ports, according to Yahoo.
Four changes needed at USPS
The leader of the US Postal Service has issued a critical alert regarding necessary reforms needed within the agency. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy outlined four significant obstacles in a letter to Congress in March:
- Retail Leases: DeJoy asked for help reviewing nearly 31,000 retail centers and the challenges of renewing leases due to ownership consolidation, urban development, and rising rental rates as long-term leases expire.
- Counterfeit Postage Crackdown: DeJoy highlighted USPS is combating an estimated $1 billion issue with counterfeit postage and called for “additional innovative solutions” to tackle the problem.
- Federal Law: DeJoy stated unfunded congressional mandates imposed by legislation are costing USPS between $6 billion and $11 billion annually.
- Regulations: DeJoy criticized “burdensome regulatory requirements” that limit USPS’s ability to operate normally, estimating that the Postal Regulatory Commission has caused over $50 billion in damage with defective pricing models.
Source: AXIOS
The FDA also wrote letters to 24 U.S.-based distributors as part of a crackdown in May.
This situation has resulted in vape shops experiencing empty shelves, as noted by Tony Abboud, executive director of the Vapor Technology Association, which includes companies such as Demand Vape.
USPS revocations will further damage U.S. vape businesses, he said.
Demand Vape sells to 5,000 retailers in 49 states, according to lawsuit filings in New York City.
The city provided invoices from the USPS showing Demand Vape’s sales of unauthorized e-cigarettes.
Demand Vape is challenging USPS’s decision, arguing they’re operating within legal limits. But this policy will be strictly enforced by both the USPS and the FDA.
USPS MAKING CHANGES
The USPS has rolled out a lot of changes in 2025, in preparation for the holiday season from October 5, 2025, to January 18, 2025.
Priority Mail and USPS Ground Advantage prices will increase from 40 cents to $16, depending on package details.
There will also be an international fee on items under $800.
These changes are part of the USPS’s long-term “Delivering for America” plan.
The USPS has also put a 5-cent jump for First-Class Mail Forever stamps from 73¢ to 78¢, marking a record increase.
The USPS is also expecting faster delivery for some first-class mail and slower delivery for others, which is achieved by letting carriers travel farther to deliver.
However, this comes at the cost of longer rural delivery times as afternoon pickups and weekend transit days are being trimmed, too.
There will also be slight delivery delays for about 11% of first-class mail.
