A judgment resolves a complaint against the vaping company due to allegations of sales to online minors.
SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, through his office, announced a legally binding agreement with a vaping company based in California. E-Juice Vapor Inc. is the company, and it will pay $375,000 to resolve a lawsuit that Ferguson’s office brought in August of 2020 after its initial refusal to cooperate with an investigation.
“E-Juice Vapor illegally put profits over the safety of children,” Ferguson said. “We will continue to work with parents to keep nicotine products out of the hands of youth.”
According to a press statement, the Attorney General’s office initiated a 2019-2020 investigation into online vaping retailers. Ferguson is said to catch seven online retailers violating Washington state’s online age verification law for the minimum legal sales age.
Seven retailers later signed judgments requiring them to pay about half a million dollars, which is said to go toward the continued enforcement of Washington’s vaping laws.
Ferguson also investigated a total of 148 online sellers. Out of that number, seven had no age verification measures. Six of those companies signed agreements to change their advertising practices and e-commerce policies to comply with state law.
Other companies include the following:
- VanVal Vapor, based in Spokane, paid $30,000;
- Zenith, based in New York, paid $50,000;
- Local Vape, based in Henderson, Nev., paid $25,000;
- Northland Vapor, based in Moorhead, Minn., paid $7,000;
- WOV, based in Castle Rock, Colo., paid $20,000;
- Vaping Zone, based in Columbia, S.C., paid $40,000.
“The Complex Litigation Division provides representation on the office’s most difficult, challenging, and high profile cases,” notes the statement. “It also fulfills a leading role for the office in the enforcement of the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.”
“This includes monitoring and enforcing violations of advertising restrictions by the major tobacco companies, multi-state litigation of payment disputes, and assistance with [the] implementation of the public health provisions. Regulatory enforcement of the emerging e-cigarette and vaping industries is an increasing portion of this role.”
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