- California AG Rob Bonta and the City of New York were joined by a bipartisan coalition of 24 AGs in sending a letter to Shopify Inc., urging the company to crack down on merchants using its e-commerce platform to sell illegal e-cigarettes and other unlawful tobacco products. The AGs allege that many Shopify-hosted sellers offer unapproved e-cigarettes, including some sellers that have received warning letters from the FDA.
- In the letter, the coalition acknowledges Shopify’s past responsiveness when California previously identified unlawful sellers, but stresses that the scope and persistence of illegal online e-cigarette sales require more comprehensive, proactive efforts to identify and remove non-compliant merchants from the platform.
- The letter highlights the public health risks posed by illegal e-cigarette sales, especially for youth, and requests a meeting with Shopify to develop a coordinated solution.
- We have previously reported on AG enforcement actions against unlawful e-cigarette sellers, including coordinated bipartisan efforts against companies selling flavored disposable e-cigarettes.