The XROS 6 is Official + French Prisons

GD Vape Nerds.

If you thought the vape industry was chaotic before, the last two weeks just completely shattered the status quo.

We have a political execution at the FDA, the first legal fruit flavors in history, and a European country treating pouch users like international smugglers.

Inside today's absolute madness:

• FDA Head Axed: Makary is out after a White House showdown.
• The Flavor Break: Trump pressures the FDA into authorizing legal fruit pods.
• The XROS 6 & VIZ: Vaporesso and Lost Mary drop next-gen hardware.
• Pouch Prison: France officially goes full prohibition.

Grab your coffee. We need to talk about what just happened.

1. REGULATION: THE FDA HEAD ROLLS & FLAVORS WIN 👑

The federal vape landscape just experienced a 9.0 magnitude earthquake.

Makary is Out

FDA Commissioner Martin Makary has officially resigned. His tenure was cut short after a brutal, behind-the-scenes battle with the White House over how vapes are regulated in the US. The pressure cooked him, and he’s gone.

Read the full breakdown at Vaping360.

Why the sudden White House friction? Look no further than the news from May 6. Following direct pressure from President Trump to authorize alternative options for adults, the FDA authorized four new pods for the Glas G2 device.

Crucially, this includes the first two legal fruit-flavored vaping products in US history. The flavor wall has finally cracked.

The Global Trade War & French Prison

• The Trade War: Congress is now actively positioning disposable vapes as a bargaining chip in broader trade war discussions (Versed Vaper), while R.J. Reynolds has filed a massive Section 337 complaint to try and ban independent imports at the border.
• The French Bans: If you think the US is tough, look at France. As of April 1, they have completely criminalized the sale and possession of tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches. Pouch users over there now literally face prison time. See the full report on Vaping360.

2. HARDWARE: THE NEXT-GEN FLAGSHIPS ARE HERE 🛠️

While the politicians fight, the engineering labs are pumping out serious upgrades.

VAPORESSO XROS 6

The undefeated king of open pods just got its new flagship. The XROS 6 drops with "Smart Prime Tech"—a system that pre-heats the coil in under 60 seconds for instant response and better MTL efficiency. It's faster, smarter, and built to squeeze every drop of flavor out of your juice.

LOST MARY VIZ

Lost Mary is shifting away from standard plastic boxes with the VIZ. It features the industry's first transparent, 360° wraparound pod design. You can see your entire juice level and internal build from any angle. No more blind dry hits.

This one's coming out soon, read more about it here.

The Rest of the Grid:

• ​SUONON Switch: A groundbreaking hybrid pod device offering insane flexibility between disposable ease and pod performance
• VOOPOO Drag 6: The 220W built-in battery beast we talked about recently is officially hitting shelves. Read my thoughts here.
• ​UWELL Caliburn G5: The legendary Caliburn line gets its 2026 upgrade with a refined chassis and tighter airflow control.
• ​OXVA XLIM GO Lite: A super budget-friendly refillable pod designed specifically to help disposable users switch to open systems without spending a fortune.

3. THE TRENDING RADAR: THE TEEN USE MYTH 📡

Over on X, the independent advocates are pulling apart the mainstream headlines.

• The Real Pouch Stats: Charles Gardner (@ChaunceyGardner) put the WHO on blast this week. While the media screams about a "teen pouch epidemic," actual CDC and FDA data shows past 30-day teen use flatlined from a tiny 1.8% in 2024 down to 1.7% in 2025. It’s a ghost story. He also broke down the structural differences between nicotine and THC hardware over on his X feed.
• GrimmGreen’s First Look: Grimm Green gave his first impressions on the new VAPEFIDDLE RTA, calling it a massive win for traditional rebuildable hobbyists (@GrimmGreen). He also sparked a huge debate on who actually wins if vapers are forced back to cigarettes—hinting at Big Tobacco, pharma, and tax-collecting governments profit at our expense.

That's it for today, speak soon!

Peace

Drake