Attorney General Kris Mayes has taken decisive action against vape stores in Arizona that have been caught selling tobacco products to minors. According to a press release from the Attorney General's office, civil complaints were filed against New York Smoke Shop LLC and a collection of businesses under the Pro Source brand, including Pro Source Vapes LLC and Pro Source CBD LLC. These establishments were found to be particularly negligent in adhering to age restrictions for the sale of tobacco and nicotine products.
In an aggressive move, the AGO has highlighted the continued sale of these products to underage individuals, despite previous citations, fines, warnings, and attempts at re-education. Having consistently failed to check identifications or carelessly selling to known minors, New York Smoke Shop posted an 83% failure rate on compliance checks, while Pro Source demonstrated a 67% failure rate across its locations. These figures starkly contrast with Arizona's average retailer failure rate of 13% since 2016.
"As the first mom to hold the office of Attorney General, I think I speak for parents everywhere when I say that it’s egregious that these shops that are actively selling nicotine vapes and e-cigarettes to minors," said Attorney General Mayes in the statement. The sale of these addictive products to an underage clientele goes directly against state and federal laws, which prohibit sales to individuals under 18 and 21, respectively.
In a recent AGO operation, named the Counter Strike program, multiple children aged 16 to 17 were allowed to purchase e-cigarettes and cartridges with no ID request. Characterized by bright colors and themes appealing to the young, the marketing materials in these vape shops do not adequately warn about the health dangers or legal restrictions pertaining to their products, despite located right inside the front door alongside snacks and energy drinks styled to entice the youth.
Statistics from Phoenix Children's Hospital reveal that half of Arizona's high school students have tried e-cigarettes, underlining the epidemic of teenage nicotine use fueled by vaping products. Nationally, more than 85% of tobacco users start before the age of 18, with nearly all starting before 21, signaling the critical importance of restricting youth access to prevent lifelong addiction and its associated health consequences.
