USA Vapes_03202025_1
A vape company that touts U.S.-made products imports its cartridges from China. LinkedIn/Fifty Bars

Vape company Fifty Bars has centered its business model around selling its "built in USA" products while its founder pleads with lawmakers not to restrict the supply of disposable vapes sourced from China.

Brady Bates founded Fifty Bars because he wanted to "pioneer the trail of American disposable vape products," according to his website. He even peddles "Make Vaping American Again" MAGA-style caps. Behind the scenes, however, Bates, imports non-FDA authorized vapes from China that are then filled and shipped out across the U.S., the New York Post revealed on Thursday.

In February, Bates addressed Arizona legislators to lobby against a bill banning Chinese-made disposable vapes. He introduced himself to legislators as the guy "that wants to bring manufacturing back to America," before revealing he wouldn't be able to sell his products if the bill is passed.

"If this bill goes through, then I can't sell my products into the state of Arizona," Bates 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," he added. "When I say they passed, they completely demolished the entire marketplace."

Originally published by Latin Times