CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As more and more kids turn to vaping, the federal government's increased the number of undercover stings in recent years, busting thousands of businesses across the Carolinas for selling to children, including several near Charlotte-area schools.
Federal records show the Food and Drug Administration has warned some and fined other repeat violators for selling electronic cigarettes, cigars and traditional cigarettes to kids, sometimes just a block away from schools.
The sign inside one of two Circle Ks on The Plaza within walking distance of Northridge Middle School reads, "No ID, no sale." That's the rule at both Circle Ks and the nearby Food Lion, but it took an undercover visit by the FDA to drive the message home. Records show the FDA issued each retailer a warning after clerks sold e-liquid to kids. Circle K 8381, much like the Food Lion, received its warning after a July 2018 visit, while the other Circle K received its warning in January 2019, according to FDA records. The clerk at the Food Lion was fired as a result, according to the manager.
Federal records show just in the Charlotte-area alone, the FDA's issued more than 150 warning letters to first-time offenders who sold e-cigarettes, cigars or traditional cigarettes to kids since 2018. In addition, the federal government's issued civil penalties to another 50 for repeat violations.
Federal records show repeat offenders near West Charlotte (Family Dollar 8486 on Beatties Ford Road), Eastway Middle (Food Lion 1057 on Eastway Drive, twice) and Brawley Middle School in Mooresville (All-Mart/Shell on Williamson Road, twice), plus stores warned near West Charlotte (Queens Mini Mart on Beatties Ford Road twice, and Mighty Midget Market on Beatties Ford Road) and South Iredell High (Four Brothers Food Store 306 on North Main Street and Food Lion 701 on North Main Street).
The increased undercover stings come as teens across the country spend time in hospitals with serious lung problems.
AMV Holdings North America President and CEO Sam Salaymeh knows what it feels like to have your business busted multiple times.
"It breaks my heart when that happens and we do a lot of training on this," he said. "We have a zero tolerance policy."
An FDA complaint shows the agency first warned one of his Mad Vapes in North Charlotte in 2018 after an undercover buy.
Salaymeh says he fired an employee who chose not to use the store's fake ID detection and preventative technology, failed to check an ID and as a result, sold to a minor, but records show then the FDA returned in March of this year and much like the first time, another Mad Vapes employee once again sold an e-liquid product to a minor, resulting in another termination.
The president said vape stores across the Carolinas learned from those events and made a major change as a result, requiring clerks to scan an ID every time someone buys anything, even something as harmless as a bottle of water.
Salaymeh said while no system is 100% perfect, the company is committed to following the rules. He hopes more retailers will use similar technology.
"I believe that we should all work together to reduce youth access," he said.
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