Arizona AG Targets Vape Shops Selling to Children

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has intensified enforcement against Phoenix-area vape shops for repeatedly selling tobacco and nicotine products to minors, including children as young as 13, despite prior citations and fines. Civil complaints target New York Smoke Shop LLC and the Pro Source group of companies, which failed undercover inspections 83% and 67% of the time, compared to the state average of 13%. The shops are accused of neglecting to check IDs and, in some cases, knowingly selling to underage buyers. Mayes is seeking penalties of $10,000 per violation and may pursue dissolution of the implicated companies in Arizona. The crackdown coincides with a new state law raising the legal age to 21 for tobacco product purchases and growing concerns over youth-targeted marketing. Mayes underscored the importance of protecting young Arizonans and warned other retailers of strict enforcement.