New vape bans have swept the United States since 2023. Vape bans in different states vary, and none of them are blanket bans. One of the most effective and reasonable one is an ENDS directory, which allows certain vapes for sale legally in the state. Crossbar vape is the only vape that appears in the ENDS directories of multiple states. Let’s see what Crossbar is, who this vape is designed for, and how it becomes the most favorite and controversial vape behind the bars.
Table of Contents
1. What is Crossbar Vape?
Crossbar was invented to address nicotine withdrawal issues and increase revenue in prisons at first. Being behind the bars sucks. For those who smoke regularly, it’s worse because smoking is generally prohibited in federal prison. Prisoners cannot possess tobacco in any form. This cigarette ban also extends to electronic cigarettes. Crossbar was then created by Jamie Mosley, who was elected as jailer of Laurel County.
It is the first e-cigarette brand created for inmates originally. This smoke-free alternative crosses the bars and satisfies nicotine needs, winning U.S. Patent 10,537,139 B2.
Compared with other USA vapes, Crossbar is a cigalike e-cigarette, which is not refillable and not rechargeable to avoid potential risks from refilling or recharging. The tamper-obvious tape is on the other end of the drip tip and makes this e-cigarette easier to identify. However, the sleek pen vape with only 1.3ml is the older version and is usually provided only in correctional facilities. The newer version is the Crossbar 20K with brand-new features. Here is the comparison:
| Feature | Crossbar E-cig | Crossbar 20K |
|---|---|---|
| E-juice Capacity | 1.3 mL | 13 mL |
| Battery | Non-rechargeable | 2,000 mAh, NON-Rechargeable |
| Flavor Options | Tobacco Menthol | Tobacco Butterscotch Tobacco Raspberry Wafer Menthol Blue Razz Ice Menthol Miami Mint |
| Coverage | 25% | 58.3% |
2. Vape Brand with 83.3% Coverage in Vape Directories
According to the US state vape bans analyzed and updated by VapeMove, there are 12 active ENDS directories across the United States, and 9 of them include Crossbar vapes. It would have been 10 if Wisconsin didn’t remove them from the directory in February 2026. At the brand level, it has 83.3% coverage. The dominant version is the Crossbar 20K rather than the 1.3ml vape pen with only 2 flavors.
3. Are Crossbar Vapes FDA Approved?
Cross bar vapes have not been approved by the FDA yet, despite their lack of PMTA. There are still only 48 e-cigarettes authorized by the FDA right now. No new vapers were added after the FDA authorized JUUL2 and 2 compatible pods.
4. Cross Bar Company: What Do We Know
Due to the different definitions of a manufacturer in states, 4 companies are associated with Crossbar. I’ll show you their relationships:
Romo LLC is the original Crossbar company and also the original applicant for the Crossbar trademark.
Blue Nine LLC is the current trademark owner and has registered Crossbar products in several state directories.
VR Products I LLC is the company that operates VapeRanger, an online vape distribution website. It is listed as the manufacturer of the Cross bar vapes in Arkansas because of the definition of a manufacturer there. The real factory, which could be somewhere in China, remains uncertain under the current circumstances.
5. Why Was Crossbar Removed from Wisconsin Vape Directory?
It’s worth noting that all 4 Crossbar 20K vapes were added to the directory in 2025 but removed afterwards in 2026. However, the Department of Revenue never explains this publicly. As I write this blog, the DOR of Wisconsin never replies to my e-mail. So I will show you my research about the cause here.
Among all the removed vapes in the Wisconsin Vaping Device Directory, there is an obvious pattern: the products of the same brand disappeared on July 2 or July 6. The best explanation is that the manufacturers failed to renew the certifications by July 1, which caused product removal on July 2 or the next applicable business day (July 6). However, the removal of the Cross Bars doesn’t fit this pattern. There are two possible methods Cross bar tried yet failed in Wisconsin.
(1) Brand-based Substitution
The expert hired by VapeMove found a FDA PMTA review memorandum shows that Romo LLC dba Crossbar among applicants whose PMTAs were received by September 9, 2020, and were pending filing review.
Considering that the FDA never shows the public the pending list of PMTAs, we can’t confirm which version was submitted. My hypothesis is that Crossbar might attempt to claim this PMTA covers the whole brand and extends to the new version with 13ml e-juice. Another piece of evidence that may support this guess is the weird Crossbar vape flavors across different states. Clearly, the Cross Bar 20K has 4 flavors, which are more than tobacco or menthol. However, these new Crossbar flavors are not clearly distinguished in Mississippi and are shortened in the directories of North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Virginia as:
- Tobacco RW
- Tobacco BS
- Menthol BR
- Menthol MM
The unusual naming of the Crossbar may suggest it is using the acronyms of the flavors other than tobacco or menthol in order to conflate the two products to establish regulatory eligibility.
(2) A qualifying product’s name/brand-style/packaging-only variation
The original version (1.3ml) of Crossbar and the 13ml version are not named differently. However, the flavors and e-juice capacity have changed significantly, which is not simply a packaging-only variation or such. Some states (Arkansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania) accept such variations and don’t require an additional PMTA in this situation. Clearly, the Crossbar 20K doesn’t fall within this category and could get removed because the applicant used the wrong route.
(3) Application Amendment or Transfer
In short, Crossbar might use the older application or rights it already has to support new products. In this case, flavors don’t need to be deliberately ambiguous in the directories. So, I assume, this is not the case.
6. Criticism of Crossbar: Monopoly in Prison
Crossbar literally creates and dominates a new vape market other brands never thought about: the correctional facilities. However, besides the morality problems concerning selling vapes with an addictive substance (nicotine) to inmates, Crossbar’s early success is questionable.
A 2020 investigation by ProPublica and the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting revealed that Jamie Mosley, the jailer who developed Crossbar, directed his facility’s e-cigarette purchases to the product’s manufacturer without competitive bidding. Purchasing records showed that the jail’s expenditures exceeded Kentucky’s then-applicable $20,000 bidding threshold in both 2014 and 2015, raising questions about procurement compliance and potential conflicts of interest.
Another piece of news covered an interview by VICE News and showed that Crossbar was available in 33 prisons and jails nationwide. The most shocking fact is that Crossbar e-cigs with 1.3ml e-liquid are sold to jails for $2-3 each, and then some jails charge the inmates $10-$15 each. A Geek Bar Pulse is pre-filled with around 13.5ml e-juice and lasts for one to two weeks for a free man. With all the pressure and anxiety in prison, nicotine consumption increases; thus, prisoners have to spend a ridiculously high amount on a non-rechargeable disposable vape.
7. Conclusion
Crossbar is a good example for Chinese vape brands to follow, as it’s one of the few vape brands in the state vape directories without connection to Big Tobacco. Crossbar, on the one hand, prevents other brands from crossing the bars it set between the correctional facilities and other brands; at the same time, it benefits from those who are behind the bars. Cross Bar could be related to Chinese vape factories too, as I can’t find any information on its address or manufacturer. Anyways, sticking a made-in-US sticker won’t make your vapes legal magically. To make a vape compliant with the laws and regulations, you need to pay for it.
FAQ about Crossbar
1. Is Crossbar made in the United States?
Crossbar is allegedly manufactured in the United States. However, the official website displays an address that was a warehouse, according to a 2024 Google Street View Picture.
2. Are Crossbar challenged from other ENDS Directories?
Likely. The abbreviated flavor names are ambiguous and other states tend to take the same actions.
3. Who is Cross Bar targeting?
Cross Bar is now targeting both online and brick-and-mortar vape retailers rather than vapers directly. Being included in the ENDS directories becomes its only selling point.
4. How to charge a Crossbar vape?
The 1.3ml version of the Crossbar is not rechargeable. The 13ml version, Crossbar 20K, is equipped with a 2000mAh battery but still remains non-rechargeable.
