California is moving towards banning disposable e-cigarettes.

The California Assembly approved Assembly Bill 762, following its passage by the Senate. If signed by the governor, the ban on the manufacture and importation of disposable e-cigarettes with integrated batteries would take effect on January 1.^er January 2027, while their sale and distribution would be prohibited from January 1st^er January 2028. Cannabis-based products are excluded. To remain marketable, a device must, in particular, be designed to be reusable and have a rechargeable battery, with a system allowing for its refilling or the replacement of its cartridges.[1]. The local authorities and the state could impose a civil penalty of $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $2,000 for a third or subsequent offense.

An environmental, civil security and health issue

Disposable e-cigarettes are routinely discarded in streets, parks, and on beaches. According to the consumer advocacy group CalPIRG, approximately 500,000 disposable devices are thrown away every day in the United States. Once discarded in the environment or sent to landfills, these devices can lead to the dispersal of metals such as lead, lithium, cobalt, cadmium, chromium, copper, zinc, and nickel, as well as microplastics and battery residue.

Their presence in waste also increases the risk of fire in sorting and processing centers. When disposable e-cigarette cartridges are thrown into trash cans or recycling bins, they can be crushed by garbage trucks and sorting machines at waste treatment facilities. This can puncture the batteries, causing a short circuit, overheating, and potentially igniting surrounding materials. According to the National Waste & Recycling Association and Resource Recycling Systems, more than 5,000 fires occur each year in recycling facilities, with lithium-ion batteries being a significant contributing factor.« We don't allow other industries to design products with fire hazards and then abandon them when they fail. Vaping companies shouldn't receive special treatment either. »" said Tony Hackett, project manager at Californians Against Waste.

Furthermore, the California Department of Public Health considers e-cigarettes a major public health issue, particularly due to nicotine addiction, which is highly addictive, and its potential effects on adolescent brain development, impacting learning, memory, and attention. It actively works to combat the normalization of vaping, especially among young people, and conducts campaigns to discourage their use.

Vaping is indeed widespread, especially among young people. According to the California Youth Tobacco Survey, in 2023 e-cigarettes were the most used tobacco products by California high school students: 10% of students in rural areas and 6% of those in non-rural areas reported vaping.

Governor Gavin Newsom did not indicate what position he would take on the text.« We hope the governor will recognize the threat these devices pose to our communities and that the costs of cleaning up the damage they cause will be borne by taxpayers. »" said the bill's author, Democratic Representative Jacqui Irwin, in a press release.

California, a state particularly active in the fight against nicotine products

California is one of the most proactive US states in the fight against smoking and new nicotine products, with a strategy that encompasses all of these products. It was a pioneer in the 1980s in developing a comprehensive strategy to reduce tobacco consumption, for example, by increasing the number of smoke-free spaces and providing sustained funding for tobacco control policies. More recently, it committed to banning the sale of flavored tobacco products, which came into effect at the end of 2022, and this ban includes e-cigarettes. Since January 2025, the regulations have been strengthened to better cover products that provide a cooling sensation, with an official list of permitted unflavored products and increased enforcement measures.

California is not alone in pursuing a ban on disposable e-cigarettes. The state of Hawaii adopted a ban in July 2026, effective from January 1st.^er January 2027 regarding the sale and distribution of disposable electronic devices. Other states could join the movement. However, all these states face challenges The very strong interference of the tobacco and nicotine industry in the implementation of their public policies. The industry has been exerting significant pressure on the Trump administration for several months.. It has already obtained FDA approval for several flavored vaping products And flavored nicotine sachets, while Maine rejected Bill LD 754 which sought to ban the sale, use and possession of disposable electronic cigarettes.

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[1]Susanne Rust, California moves to outlaw disposable vapes, a toxic trash plague from beaches to battery fires, Los Angeles Times, published August 27, 2026, accessed September 2, 2026

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