WASHINGTON – The tobacco giant RJ Reynolds is threatening to sue small vape shops if they do not stop selling flavored vapes, according to two letters obtained by STAT.
The letters, both of which were sent in March, give the vape shops just a few days to confirm they will no longer sell flavored tobacco products. Failure to comply could result in “legal action, and the costs, attorneys’ fees, and adverse publicity to which a lawsuit would subject [the vape shop],” the letters warn.
The letters, which were sent to stores in New Jersey and Alabama, also warn that the shops are violating local laws regulating the sale of flavored tobacco. The New Jersey letter also copies the county prosecutor where the vape shop is located, in an apparent attempt to notify the local authorities of the violation.
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