Elf Bar finds an easy way around US vape import ban: a name change
By MATTHEW PERRONE
AP Health Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Chinese disposable e-cigarettes from Elf Bar remain widely available in the U.S. more than four months after U.S. health regulators moved to ban their importation. The company behind the fruity-flavored vapes appears to have maneuvered around U.S. restrictions by simply renaming its products. Stores throughout the U.S. continue carrying the devices, which are now sold under the brand name EBCreate. In May, the Food and Drug Administration told customs officials to detain shipments bearing the names Elf Bar or EBDesign. But experts warned that companies can get around such measures by simply rebranding themselves and using different manufacturing facilities.
