Fewer stores sell vapor supplies to minors in 2018

In 2017 more than 20 percent of businesses checked by law enforcement sold vapes or vapor products to minors.

In 2018 that number was down to just over 5 percent.

“We are doing our job well, getting community awareness raised that it is not okay for youth to possibly start a lifetime tobacco addiction through early vaping,” Christina Hitz, with the Lancaster County Health Department said.

By law you have to be 18 or older to buy vapor products because they can contain nicotine.

Last year, three convenience stores sold them to minors more than once and 16 sold them one time.

A business you won’t see on those lists anytime soon is Alohma Vapor.

Tom Bowen, director of operations for Alohma said they’ve been long time supporters of age–restrictions for vaping products.

“Alohma, even before there were laws either in our state or federally maintained that nobody under 18 should be allowed to vape or have access to vapor products,” Bowen said.

Because he said these products aren’t to be used for fun or novelty, but as a safer alternative to cigarettes.

“It’s for people who are smokers and it’s an alternative for many people to get off tobacco related products,” Bowen said.

While vaping can help smokers quit the health department says it can also encourage non–smoking youth to start,” Hitz said.

“Youth who use are four times more likely to go on to smoke a cigarette in the next year,” Hitz said.

Which is why she said its important for business owners to continue to card.

The FDA requires anyone over the age of 27 to show their ID.

“We card literally everyone that walks into our store,” Bowen said.

Most of the stores who didn’t comply were convenience stores only three smoke shops made the list.