New York City Escalates Fight Against Illegal Vape Wholesalers

New York City has taken new legal action in its ongoing battle against illegal vape sales. 

City officials have requested a Manhattan judge to issue a preliminary injunction against 11 wholesalers accused of selling flavored e-cigarettes and illegal vapes in violation of local, state, and federal laws.

The city’s move follows a lawsuit filed in April targeting these wholesalers, which are located across Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and upstate New York. 

The legal team argues that immediate action is necessary to halt the distribution of these products, citing concerns about rising nicotine addiction rates among youth.

The filing on Tuesday, July 2nd, stated, “The flavored e-cigarettes targeted in this action are so enormously attractive to youth that their introduction has triggered skyrocketing youth nicotine use, reversing a decades-long steady decline in youth smoking.”

Mayor Eric Adams emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “While we have already filed a lawsuit to hold these distributors accountable for their actions, the motion we have filed will help us ensure that they can no longer peddle this poison to our children while this case is being litigated.”

The lawsuit alleges that city investigators were able to place orders directly from these wholesalers and uncover sales invoices from vape distributors within the city. 

The administration seeks unspecified damages and penalties, halting the sale of flavored vapes with enticing names like “Strawberry Colada” and “Blueberry Energize.”

This legal action is part of a broader effort to combat youth vaping, with Mayor Adams in April saying, “Flavored e-cigarettes are the gateway to nicotine addiction. Eighty-one percent of first-time users ages 12 to 17 started with flavored products.”

The case is part of a pending 2023 federal lawsuit that names two of the same wholesalers and seeks millions in damages. 

However, public opinion suggests that enforcement efforts may need strengthening, as a February poll indicated that 53% of New Yorkers believe officials are doing only a “fair” or “poor” job enforcing the ban on illegal vape sales.