Ohio attorney general targeting illegal vapes

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Ohio’s attorney general is cracking down on illegal vaping across the state, saying unregulated vapes being sold in Ohio, especially those targeting kids, pose a real danger.

The FDA released a study saying tobacco use in middle school students rose in 2023. It has authorized 27 e-cigarette products to be sold in the United States. All of those are tobacco or menthol-flavored. Anything else not authorized by the FDA is illegal.

On Tuesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed complaints against three Ohio businesses: one in Delaware, one in Cincinnati, and one in Wayne County. They are charged with selling illegal vape flavors despite a warning letter from Yost’s office in early April.

These investigations were into Orrville Tobacco and Vape Shop in Orrville, Central Tobacco in Delaware and Elev8 Smoke Shop in Cincinnati.

"You can go to any convenience store and find lots and lots of things that aren't approved on that list, so we went to court today to ask the court to require them to stop selling unapproved vapes,” Yost said. “It's a violation of Ohio law and federal law.”

He says this is not about closing smoke shops but rather making sure they only sell what is allowed.

"Particularly when we're dealing with youngsters, young people who are still growing and still developing, the idea that these unregulated, unauthorized vapes are on the market is a real danger,” Yost said. “In my viewpoint, it's not really anything different than the huffing glue.”

The next step is waiting for the court to make a decision.

Flavored tobacco sales are banned in Columbus. This was upheld last month after a judge ruled that a state law prohibiting cities like Columbus from banning tobacco sales was unconstitutional.