LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today is taking legal action against three online e-cigarette retailers for violating State laws.
By selling and shipping nicotine products and devices, including e-cigarettes, to Arkansas children without age verification, the companies are in violation of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (ADTPA).
“These out-of-state retailers are illegally selling vaping products online that are dangerous to Arkansas children, and it’s time to take a strong stance to stop this practice in our state,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “It is unacceptable for retailers to exploit our youth by selling vaping products to them illegally.”
General Rutledge filed lawsuits today against Utah-based BuyVapor.com, Arizona-based The Vape Co. and Minnesota-based Mystic Juice USA, LLC. While all three companies sold and shipped vape products to customers in Arkansas and failed to confirm the consumers’ ages, which are violations of state law, Mystic Juice also utilized eBay.com to avoid the legal-minimum-age-to-purchase requirements and used deception to bypass eBay’s own policy of not selling tobacco products on its platform. Rutledge sent a letter to eBay earlier this week demanding the removal of all electronic nicotine devices and products from its website.
Earlier this week, Rutledge issued an Enforcement Advisory to 100 online e-cigarette retailers, warning these retailers that it is illegal to sell or ship any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and e-liquids, to consumers in Arkansas. The advisory warns legal action if businesses are found selling to minors over the internet.
Each ADTPA violation is subject to a fine up to $10,000 per occurrence.