The FDA's 2026 enforcement priorities guidance sets out where the agency intends to focus its limited resources across the tobacco and e-cigarette market. For retailers, the most important signal is the continued emphasis on products sold without the required marketing authorization.
Import controls remain a central part of that approach. Import Alert 98-06 allows unauthorized electronic nicotine products to be detained at the border, which reduces the supply of non-compliant goods and reinforces why buying from established, documented distributors is safer than sourcing from unclear channels.
The guidance also strengthens the value of the FDA's authorized product list as an everyday buying reference. When enforcement is concentrated on unauthorized products, a retailer who can show that every line was checked against that list, and sourced through a compliant supplier, is in a much stronger position.
The compliance centre tracks the 2026 enforcement priorities and Import Alert 98-06 alongside the authorization requirement, so you can align purchasing with the current focus.