1) Map your compliance posture SKU-by-SKU (not “category-by-category”)

In 2026, the most common failure mode is assuming that “THC vapes,” “CBD vapes,” and “disposables” are single compliance buckets. They are not. Your defensible baseline is a SKU-level compliance record that answers three questions for every listing: (a) what the product is, (b) where it can be sold, and (c) what proof you retain.

• Nicotine/ENDS and “vape” hardware rules may apply broadly. The federal definition of an ENDS device covers devices that deliver “nicotine, flavor, or any other substance” via aerosol—a framing that can capture more than nicotine in practice.
• CBD is not a free-pass category. U.S. FDA enforcement has repeatedly targeted cannabis-derived products (including CBD and delta-8) when marketing crosses into impermissible claims or unsafe positioning.
• State variance is now a core business variable. Some states have moved toward tighter restrictions on cannabinoid vape products, including explicit constraints on how certain e-cigarette products can be marketed or sold.

If your assortment includes hardware variants (capacity, screen, dual/triple chambers, etc.), keep the product architecture clean and consistent. For example, separate “device-only/hardware-only” inventory from regulated cannabinoid SKUs operationally and in your catalog. If you do sell components, keep product families easy to audit and cross-reference—for example, link to your vape wholesale manufacturer catalog entry point for standardized spec browsing, and maintain a clear component taxonomy.

2) Treat age-gating as an operational control, not a website checkbox

Enforcement increasingly focuses on whether age controls are effective, not whether they exist. In the U.S. nicotine “Tobacco 21” retail rules include stricter ID-check expectations (including photo ID checks for anyone under 30 in certain contexts). For THC, most legal programs are 21+, but details vary (and medical programs may differ).

• Front-end control: age-gate plus fraud signals (velocity checks, address consistency, failed verification flags).
• Back-end control: written SOPs, staff training logs, and “refuse-sale” documentation.
• Delivery control: where shipment is lawful, require adult signature and retain delivery evidence.

If you ship into multiple jurisdictions, maintain a “where we ship / where we do not ship” matrix and keep it current with documented sources. Some jurisdictions have enacted restrictions aimed at preventing direct-to-consumer shipments of vapor products.

3) Make testing and traceability your primary sales asset

“Quality” is not a claim—it’s documentation. For THC and CBD vape products, the 2019–2020 EVALI crisis highlighted why contaminant control matters, including the linkage of vitamin E acetate with serious lung injuries in illicit THC vaping products. In 2026, buyers (and regulators) increasingly expect traceability that can survive an audit: COAs, batch/lot mapping, retention samples, and change-control records.

• COA discipline: each batch has a COA; each COA maps to a batch/lot; each listing reflects the correct batch.
• Contaminant coverage: confirm the panel matches your destination-market expectations (solvents, heavy metals, pesticides, additives).
• Change control: document any supplier, component, or formulation change with dates and impacted SKUs.

If part of your business is components and packaging, keep those SKUs equally auditable. For example, if you sell components, link buyers to empty vape cartridges as a traceable component category, and keep spec sheets consistent (materials, capacity, resistance, compatibility notes).

4) Reduce marketing risk: no medical claims, no youth appeal, no ambiguity

In 2026, marketing is where many otherwise “serious” operators fail. For cannabinoids, FDA enforcement has repeatedly focused on claims and positioning. For vaping products more broadly, enforcement actions also target youth-appealing presentations and unauthorized product marketing.

• Zero medical claims: avoid disease/therapy claims, “treats,” “cures,” or implied medical benefits.
• Control your creatives: avoid youth-oriented branding, cartoon aesthetics, or “candy” cues that trigger scrutiny.
• Be explicit about what a product is: do not blur “device,” “component,” “hemp-derived,” and “state-licensed THC” categories.

If your site contains education content, keep it compliance-forward. If your site includes bulk purchasing guidance, ensure it emphasizes lawful use cases and documentation. For example, you can route operational buyers to a neutral guide like empty disposable vapes bulk to standardize how you describe specs, packaging, and logistics without making prohibited health claims.

5) Design shipping, tax, and platform continuity for enforcement reality

Two themes define 2026 distribution risk: (1) shipping constraints and reporting expectations for “vapor/ENDS” delivery sales, and (2) platform and payment offboarding when your compliance story is weak.

Shipping: assume scrutiny, design for documentation

• USPS restrictions are a structural constraint. USPS has prohibited mailing of vaping products to consumers since 2021, with limited exceptions (notably for qualifying business-to-business scenarios), and the ENDS definition is broad.
• PACT-style obligations can apply to delivery sales. Where applicable, these obligations can include registration, reporting, and compliance with state/local rules.
• Do not “wish-cast” legality. State actions can materially change what is allowed, including prohibitions on marketing or selling certain products.

Platforms: build redundancy and compliance evidence

• Hosting risk is real. State attorneys general have publicly urged platforms to remove illegal e-cigarette sellers.
• Payment risk is real. Payment processors and banks may terminate services if your product classification or licensing posture is unclear.
• Operational response: keep a compliance dossier (licenses, SOPs, COAs, shipping matrix, age-control evidence) ready to share under NDA.

A practical 2026 checklist

1. SKU compliance file: what it is, where it’s lawful, what proof you retain.
2. Age controls: verification + SOPs + refusal logs + (where lawful) adult-signature delivery evidence.
3. Testing & traceability: COAs mapped to lots, contaminant panels, retention samples, change control.
4. Marketing hygiene: no medical claims, no youth appeal, clear product categorization.
5. Distribution reality: shipping rules, reporting/tax obligations (where applicable), carrier constraints, jurisdiction matrix.
6. Platform resilience: compliance dossier + contingency plans for hosting and payments.

The operators who win in 2026 will not be the loudest marketers—they will be the most audit-ready. If you can prove what you sell, where you can sell it, and how you prevent youth access, you will outperform competitors when enforcement tightens.