Inhaler & Smelling Salts Recalls: The Complete Verified History
As of October 2026, there is no active recall on any Thai herbal inhaler, and no US recall of smelling salts — but regulators have acted 21 times since 2008, from FDA warning letters to a 2.35-million-unit seizure in Thailand. Every event below links to its official source.
Updated October 2026 · every source re-verified October 20, 2026
21
verified events, 2008–2025
2.35M
units seized in Thailand (Oct 2025)
7
brands in the FDA's Aug 2024 warning
460
Benzedrex misuse cases, 2000–2019
The full timeline, newest first
Singapore HSA advisory; Shopee, Lazada, Carousell asked to delist affected batch
Singapore's health authority told consumers to stop using the recalled Hong Thai batch and asked Shopee, Lazada, and Carousell to remove any listings, extending the Thai recall's reach to online marketplaces abroad.
Raid on four unlicensed Hong Thai production sites; 2.35 million units seized
Thai police and the FDA raided four unlicensed factories secretly producing Hong Thai inhalers, seizing over 2.3 million units worth about 120 million baht. Products made outside licensed facilities are legally treated as counterfeit.
Thai FDA explains category-wide yadom testing program; two brands named
After online reports of mould in herbal inhalers, Thailand's FDA tested many yadom brands against strict microbial limits. Two brands failed; regulators said safe lots remain fine and promised ongoing public test results.
Thai FDA safety alert: Chama Herb inhaler lot fails microbial standards
Thailand's FDA also flagged a second herbal inhaler brand, Chama Herb (lot NF 2522503001), for excess microbial contamination in the same testing sweep, ordering a recall and temporary halt to production.
Thai FDA declares Hong Thai Formula 2 lot 000332 substandard; recall ordered
Thailand's FDA recalled one batch of Hong Thai Formula 2 inhalers (lot 000332) after tests found bacterial contamination, including Clostridium perfringens. Other lots and formulas were declared safe to use.
FDA warns consumers not to use unapproved ammonia inhalants (7 brands named)
The FDA warned consumers against all 'energy boosting' ammonia smelling salts, naming seven brands including Ward, Skull Smash, and Nose Slap, after reports of seizures, fainting, and breathing problems from these unapproved products.
The 6 FDA warning letters behind this alert
Feb 22, 2024 FDA warning letter: Insane Labz ('Wake the Dead' smelling salts)
Supplement brand Insane Labz received an FDA warning letter for its 'Wake the Dead' smelling salts, an unapproved ammonia inhalant that was being sold through Amazon.
Official sourceFeb 28, 2024 FDA warning letter: Native Salts LLC
The FDA warned Native Salts that its ammonia-and-essential-oil smelling salts are unapproved drugs that cannot legally be sold for boosting alertness, wakefulness, or athletic performance.
Official sourceMar 8, 2024 FDA warning letter: Spirochaete Research Labs / Scitus ('Atomic Rhino')
Maker of the popular 'Atomic Rhino' lifting smelling salts received an FDA warning letter: all its ammonia inhalant products are unapproved drugs under US law.
Official sourceMar 13, 2024 FDA warning letter: Skull Smash LLC
Skull Smash, one of the best-known powerlifting smelling-salt brands, was formally warned by the FDA that its entire ammonia inhalant lineup is unapproved and illegally marketed.
Official sourceMar 19, 2024 FDA warning letter: Ammonia Sport Inc.
Ammonia Sport received an FDA warning letter covering its Aqua, Raw, and Squeeze inhalants — all deemed unapproved new drugs that cannot legally claim performance benefits.
Official sourceApr 30, 2024 FDA warning letter: Ward Smelling Salts
Ward Smelling Salts, a leading hockey smelling-salt brand, was warned by the FDA that its products are unapproved drugs that cannot be legally sold in the US.
Official sourceAmazon prohibits smelling salts / ammonia inhalant listings
Following the FDA crackdown, Amazon's policy now prohibits listing or selling smelling salts and ammonia inhalants. Most fitness smelling-salt listings were removed from the marketplace starting in mid-2024.
FDA consumer warning: do not use Nose Slap / Soul Slap
The FDA told consumers to stop using Nose Slap and Soul Slap ammonia inhalants after reports of seizures, breathing trouble, migraines, and fainting linked to these unapproved 'energy boosting' products.
FDA warning letter: Nose Slap LLC
The FDA formally warned Nose Slap LLC that its ammonia-based 'Nose Slap' and 'Soul Slap' inhalants are unapproved drugs, the first strike in the modern smelling-salts crackdown.
Joint FDA/FTC warning letter: MONQ essential-oil diffuser sticks
MONQ, the best-known essential-oil 'personal diffuser' brand, received a joint FDA-FTC warning letter: its relaxation and wellness claims made the inhaler sticks unapproved drugs with unproven, deceptively advertised benefits.
FDA warning letter: NV Nutrition (Nutrovape / Nutriair inhalable 'supplements')
The FDA warned the maker of Nutrovape and Nutriair inhaler sticks that 'inhalable supplements' don't legally exist: anything inhaled for sleep, energy, or immunity claims is an unapproved drug.
FDA warning letter: VitaCig (essential-oil inhalers)
VitaCig's vitamin-and-essential-oil inhalers drew an FDA warning letter: wellness claims like improved memory and mood made them unapproved drugs, and inhaling such mixtures carries real airway risks.
FDA warning letter: VitaStik (essential-oil inhaler sticks)
The FDA warned VitaStik over essential-oil inhaler sticks sold with asthma and anxiety claims, cautioning that inhaled oils can trigger airway spasms and toxicity. None of these products are FDA approved.
FDA Drug Safety Communication: propylhexedrine (Benzedrex) abuse causes serious harm
The FDA warned that misusing Benzedrex nasal inhalers (propylhexedrine) can cause dangerous heart rhythms, paranoia, and death, and asked manufacturers to redesign the inhaler to deter abuse. Used as directed, it remains safe.
FDA proposed rule: ammonia reflex stimulants not GRASE (73 FR 34895)
Since a 2008 FDA rule proposal, ammonia smelling salts have never been recognized as safe and effective over-the-counter drugs in the US. This is the legal basis for every modern FDA smelling-salt crackdown.
Are smelling salts banned in the US?
Not from possession — from sale. Ammonia reflex stimulants have never been recognized as safe and effective OTC drugs (a 2008 FDA proposed rule, 73 FR 34895, settled that), and the CARES Act made them unapprovable new drugs in September 2020. The practical crackdown came in 2023–2024: seven brands — including Ward, Skull Smash, and Atomic Rhino — received FDA warning letters, followed by an August 2024 consumer warning citing reports of seizures, fainting, and breathing problems.
That is also the answer to “why did Amazon remove smelling salts”: Amazon's policy now prohibits these listings outright, and most were removed in mid-2024. Our smelling salts guide and safety review cover what this means if you use them.
How do you read Thai FDA announcement dates?
Thai FDA announcements use the Buddhist calendar, which runs 543 years ahead of the Western one. Subtract 543 from the year: BE 2568 is 2025 CE, and a registration number ending in /62 means the product was registered in BE 2562 — 2019. A date like “16 ต.ค. 68” reads as October 16, 2025 (ต.ค. abbreviates October).
This matters when verifying a recall story: a Thai source dated “2568” is current news, not a 500-year-old document. Our real-vs-fake guide uses the same conversion to decode label dates and registration numbers.
Which inhaler brands have never been recalled?
Verified absences matter as much as events. As of October 20, 2026: Poy Sian and Peppermint Field have no recall or enforcement action on record in Thai or US FDA sources, and the Vicks VapoInhaler has never been recalled — the only federal paperwork on its active ingredient, levmetamfetamine, is a routine DEA exclusion update from 2016. Hong Thai's only recall was the single lot 000332 in October 2025, now resolved; see our safety breakdown for what that episode did and did not mean.
How we verify this page
Every event links to a primary source — fda.gov warning letters and drug alerts, fda.moph.go.th and safetyalert.fda.moph.go.th announcements, the Federal Register, or (for the Amazon policy) Amazon's own Seller Central statements. Each source was fetched and content-verified on October 20, 2026. Events we could not verify against a primary source are excluded entirely.
An automated watcher checks the Thai FDA news feed and category-wide news daily; nothing is published here without human review of the official source. The live status banner on the real-vs-fake page reflects the current Hong Thai recall state.
Recall questions, answered
Is the Hong Thai inhaler still recalled?
No. The October 2025 recall covered exactly one production lot — lot 000332 of Formula 2 (manufactured Dec 9, 2024) — after Thailand's FDA found microbial contamination including Clostridium perfringens. All 200,000 units of that lot were recalled and destroyed by early November 2025. The FDA stated explicitly that other lots and formulas were unaffected and remain safe to sell and use. There is no active recall as of October 2026.
Has Poy Sian ever been recalled?
No. As of our last verification (October 20, 2026), we found no recall, warning letter, or enforcement action against Poy Sian or its manufacturer (Bertram) in Thai FDA or US FDA records — searched in both Thai and English. The same is true of Peppermint Field. Both brands have clean regulatory records.
Has the Vicks VapoInhaler ever been recalled?
No. We found no recall or safety action against the Vicks VapoInhaler in FDA records. The only federal actions on its active ingredient, levmetamfetamine, are DEA administrative rules from 2015–2016 updating the product's Controlled Substances Act exclusion after the dose was reduced from 113 mg to 50 mg — routine regulatory housekeeping, not a safety action.
Are smelling salts banned in the US?
Not banned from possession, but they cannot legally be sold as alertness or performance products. A 2008 FDA proposed rule classified ammonia reflex stimulants as not generally recognized as safe and effective, and under the CARES Act they became unapprovable new drugs in September 2020. In 2023–2024 the FDA sent warning letters to seven brands and told consumers not to use them. Buying for personal use is not illegal; the enforcement targets sellers.
Why did Amazon remove smelling salts?
Amazon began mass-removing smelling-salt and ammonia-inhalant listings around mid-2024, shortly after the FDA's warning-letter campaign. Amazon staff confirmed in Seller Central that company policy prohibits listing or selling these products because they are unapproved drugs. Enforcement has continued into 2025, though sellers report it is not perfectly uniform.
Is Benzedrex dangerous?
Used as directed for nasal congestion, the FDA considers it acceptable — the 2021 Drug Safety Communication targeted abuse and misuse. The FDA documented 460 poison-control cases from 2000–2019 involving intentional misuse of propylhexedrine, including 9 deaths, and asked manufacturers to adopt tamper-resistant designs. The warning is about swallowing or extracting the contents, not normal use.
How do I check a Thai FDA registration number?
Authentic Thai herbal products carry a registration number like G 309/62. The letter G marks a registered herbal product, the first number is the registration sequence, and the number after the slash is the Buddhist-era year of registration: subtract 543 to get the Western year (62 means BE 2562 = 2019 CE). You can verify numbers in the Thai FDA's public database at fda.moph.go.th, and our real-vs-fake guide walks through the full check.