Press Release  ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE SECURES ORDER AGAINST ONLINE VAPING COMPANY, BARRING FURTHER SALES IN MASSACHUSETTS

Boston — As part of ongoing litigation brought by the Attorney General’s Office, a Court ordered that VICA Trading, Inc. d/b/a VapeSourcing, stop advertising and selling illegal flavored tobacco products in Massachusetts. The Preliminary Injunction orders VapeSourcing to stop what the Commonwealth’s motion called “egregious and unequivocal violations of the law.”  

The Preliminary Injunction prohibits VapeSourcing from violating the flavored tobacco ban by selling, distributing, marketing, or advertising flavored tobacco products to consumers in Massachusetts online or through any other means. VapeSourcing will also be required to comply with the adult signature requirements and coupon prohibitions of the Attorney General’s tobacco regulations. The Preliminary Injunction further requires VapeSourcing to cancel and refund any orders to Massachusetts consumers that have not yet been shipped. 

Last month, the Attorney General’s Office filed a complaint against VapeSourcing for violating the flavored tobacco ban and the Consumer Protection Act by offering, selling, and advertising the sale of flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and associated products such as e-liquids, to consumers in Massachusetts. The complaint also alleges that VapeSourcing further violated the Consumer Protection Act and the Attorney General’s tobacco regulations by failing require signature of an adult on delivery, as well as illegally offering coupons.   

The Attorney General’s Office issued formal cease and desist letters to VapeSourcing and other websites violating the Massachusetts flavored tobacco ban over the latter half of 2023. VapeSourcing was the only company to ignore the Attorney General’s letter and instead continue to sell flavored tobacco products to Massachusetts consumers.  

A 2019 law in Massachusetts banned the sale of flavored tobacco products in Massachusetts, including vaping products. Under federal law, it is also illegal for retailers to sell tobacco products to individuals under 21 years of age. This action follows previous lawsuits by the Attorney General’s Office against JUUL Labs Inc., EonSmoke, Puff Bar, and eight other online E-cigarette retailers. 

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Alda Chan and Matthew Lashof-Sullivan with Paralegal Noam Miller, all of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, along with Special Assistant Attorney General Sean Attwood of the Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau and Investigator Sasha Restrepo.  

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