The Westlake Police Department said it has received numerous complaints about a vape store selling products to underaged people in areas throughout Cleveland.
Parents have been sending in these complaints about Magic Vapes, located on Center Ridge Road, police said. These parents told the department that their children have been able to purchase nicotine and THC vapes illegally at the store or directly from the owner.
The complaints date back to September 2022, when someone reported that the owner was allegedly selling “marijuana and psychedelic drugs” at the establishment. The caller also stated that the owner was allegedly selling drugs to underaged children and kept the paraphernalia in the store’s office room or his car, police said.
Westlake Police arrested the store owner twice already and have attempted to halt underaged purchases by giving special attention to the store.
Authorities said that they have successfully stopped some underage purchases, and the buyers would tell them they were not carded at the establishment despite not being of age.
Westlake Police said they have attempted to control the issue through criminal enforcement. However, they have turned to tackling the problem through a civil injunction, which was filed Thursday through the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
Authorities said the selling of prohibited merchandise to children will not be tolerated in the city of Westlake.
"We see this as a direct threat to the good order of the city of Westlake and especially the children who live, work or come to Westlake," Westlake Police said in a statement.
Teen vaping in Ohio
In July 2019, Ohio joined other states to work to combat teen vaping.
When Ohio joined this initiative, about one in five teens were using vape products. As of 2022, this number has increased to one in four, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
In 2019, National Jewish Health partnered with the Ohio Department of Health to launch "My Life, My Quit," and according to its website, nearly 90% of adults who vape began when they were teens.
Efforts to ban vaping
Governor Mike DeWine has twice defended the ability of Ohio cities to pass bans on flavored tobacco and vape products.
The governor first vetoed a bill in January 2023 that would prohibit cities from regulating smoking, vaping and other e-cigarette usage.
He then vetoed a second attempt in July.
This bill was introduced after Columbus banned flavored tobacco products.
“When a local community wants to make the decision to ban these flavors to protect their children, we should applaud those decisions,” the governor said.
Click here for more information on My Life, My Quit.
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