Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced April 13 that his office has reached settlements with two different online sellers of electronic cigarettes for violations of Vermont’s Delivery Sales Ban and Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act.
Under the settlements, the companies resolved claims that they sold electronic cigarettes, e-liquids, or other tobacco paraphernalia to individual consumers. As of July 1, 2019, it is illegal to sell electronic cigarettes and related “vaping” products over the internet to individual Vermont consumers.
In total, the companies will pay $215,500 in civil penalties to the State of Vermont. Since December 2020, the Attorney General’s Office has reached settlements with 23 online sellers of electronic cigarettes, totaling $833,750 in civil penalties.
“The law is clear: It is illegal to sell electronic cigarettes and related ‘vaping’ products over the internet to individual Vermont consumers,” said Donovan. “My office will continue to bring enforcement actions against any retailer who ships vaping products to individual Vermonters.”
Since 2008, Vermont’s Delivery Sales Ban law has prohibited cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco, little cigars, or snuff, ordered or purchased by telephone, mail order, or through the internet, to be shipped to anyone in Vermont other than a licensed wholesaler dealer or retailer. This law was expanded in 2019 to include tobacco substitutes (including electronic cigarettes), substances containing nicotine or otherwise intended for use with a tobacco substitute, and tobacco paraphernalia. The Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery conducts compliance checks of online retailers to determine compliance with this law.
Under the terms of the settlement agreements, in addition to paying civil penalties, the companies are required to notify Vermont consumers that they do not ship to individual consumers in Vermont.
To make a tobacco enforcement-related complaint to the Attorney General’s Office, you may email your concerns to ago.tobaccoenforcement@vermont.gov.
