Lawmakers in the U.S. state of Indiana are moving forward with a bill that would ban vape shops from selling any foreign-made vaping products, restricting sales to items that are “Made in the USA” only. The proposal is titled Senate Bill 185 (SB 185) and is described as aiming to improve consumer safety.

Key Takeaways

• Location: Indiana, United States
• Sponsor: Republican State Senator Ron Alting
• Main proposal: Vape shops would be allowed to sell only U.S.-manufactured vaping products; all foreign-made products would be prohibited
• Focus: The bill particularly targets products from China
• Status: Passed unanimously in the Senate Public Policy Committee on January 14; next stop is the Senate Appropriations Committee

What SB 185 Would Do

According to WLFI’s reporting, Senator Ron Alting is backing SB 185 to prohibit Indiana vape shops from selling any vaping products manufactured outside the United States. The measure would narrow the legal retail assortment to items that are produced domestically.

Alting said one of his primary concerns is the large share of China-made products found in local vape shops. He also cited industry information claiming that China produces over 90% of the world’s vape hardware.

Stated Rationale

Alting argued that some imported products may contain illegal or unregulated chemicals, posing potential health risks, and said such products “should not be in vape shops.” He also claimed that certain products are not even sold in China’s domestic market but are exported to the U.S. and end up in retail channels.

Legislative Progress

SB 185 passed unanimously in the Indiana Senate Public Policy Committee on January 14. The bill is now expected to be reviewed by the Indiana Senate Appropriations Committee.

Alting added that if SB 185 becomes law, enforcement agencies would have clearer tools to monitor and regulate vaping retail stores across the state.

Source note: This article is an English translation/adaptation of the provided Chinese summary, referencing 2Firsts (Jan 27, 2026) and WLFI reporting.