OHIO — In an effort to prevent young people from addiction, health issues and more, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has launched a campaign targeting illegal vaping devices. 

What You Need To Know

  • Yost said he filed complaints against three businesses in Ohio for "unfair or deceptive practices under the state Consumer Sales Practices Act"

  • The stores are in Orrville, Delaware ad Cincinnati

  • Yost added that vapes are the most-used tobacco product among middle and high school students, with 2.1 million students nationwide using vapes as of 2023

"You don't have any idea what is in those vape cartridges," Yost said in a release. "This is a consumer protection issue, particularly when it comes to our youngsters that are still developing, the idea these unregulated, unauthorized vapes are on the market is a real danger."

Yost said he filed complaints against three businesses in Ohio for "unfair or deceptive practices under the state Consumer Sales Practices Act." Yost said the charges include selling illegal vapes, failing to disclose illegality of the products and misrepresenting their authorization status. 

The following shops were selling illegal flavored vapes, according to investigations by Yost's office: 

"Unauthorized vapes pose a significant public health threat. The inhalation of harmful chemicals found in vapes – oftentimes including formaldehyde, a known carcinogen – endangers the health of Ohio residents, especially adolescents," Yost wrote in a release.

Yost said federal law mandates all new tobacco products receive pre-market authorization from the Food and Drug Administration before it hits shelves. Only 27 e-cigarette products have received FDA authorization. All others sold without that authorization are illegal in Ohio, Yost said. 

Yost added that vapes are the most-used tobacco product among middle and high school students, with 2.1 million students nationwide using vapes as of 2023. That includes 9% of Ohio middle-school students and 20% of high school students.