New York Attorney General Letitia James has successfully obtained a consent order and judgment against two Jefferson County vape shops, putting a halt to their sale of illegal flavored e-cigarettes and other noncompliant drugs. According to a press release from the Attorney General's Office, Evan Mills Smoke & Accessories, LLC and Northwind26449, Inc., as well as their proprietors, are now permanently banned from any business dealings involving nicotine and/or tobacco products. The press release details that the owners face a $50,000 fine and a potential $3.81 million penalty for potential future violations of the consent order.
Attorney General James stated, "Smoke shop owners that are illegally selling candy-flavored vapes to young people are fueling the nationwide youth vaping epidemic." She further asserted her commitment to "use every tool at our disposal to protect young people from harmful e-cigarettes and other misbranded drugs," according to the Attorney General's Office. This action follows a series of measures by James to actively curb the sale of illicit vaping products in the state. In 2023, she filed a lawsuit aimed to permanently shut down Evan Mills Smoke Shop, and the latest court victory appeared to decisively achieve that goal.
The store's owners, Ayoub Alharbi and Sameer Mohamod-Hizan Yahia, have been found in violation of New York state laws multiple times by selling flavored e-cigarettes, among other noncompliant products. Under the court order, they are also compelled to surrender a large quantity of seized items including thousands of flavored vape products, boxes of nitrous oxide, and various packages of THC products and misbranded drugs. The Attorney General thanked Fort Drum Military Police for their assistance in the case, highlighting the cooperative effort to clamp down on noncompliant vape shops.
This crackdown is part of a broader initiative by Attorney General James, who has diligently worked to shield younger New Yorkers from the dangers of vaping. In past efforts to confront the youth nicotine epidemic, James has spearheaded lawsuits against major e-cigarette manufacturers and distributors, and she has distributed significant financial settlements from companies like Juul across the state to support anti-vaping initiatives. In a demonstration of an ongoing commitment, she has additionally advocated for stricter FDA regulation on e-cigarettes and oral nicotine products.
The legal proceedings were managed by Assistants Attorney General Julia Toce, Leanne Moser, and Deanna R. Nelson from the Watertown Regional Office within the Division of Regional Affairs. An investigative team, led by Michael Leahy and comprised of Chad Shelmidine, Andrea Buttenschon, and Lawrence Kalk, conducted the groundwork for the case. This detail, provided by the Attorney General's Office, outlines the resources allocated to address public health concerns related to unauthorized vape sales.
