Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a bipartisan coalition of 24 attorneys general and the City of New York in urging major credit card companies and payment processors to take stronger action against unlawful vaping sales.
In letters sent to companies including Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and others, the coalition called for efforts to block transactions that enable the sale of unauthorized e-cigarette products, particularly those reaching young people.
Federal law requires FDA authorization for e-cigarette products, and most currently sold products are not approved, making them illegal to market or distribute. The coalition said many online sellers fail to comply with laws such as the PACT Act, which mandates age verification and other safeguards. While states have taken enforcement actions against retailers, officials emphasized that payment processors play a key role in limiting access and are being asked to collaborate on preventing unlawful transactions.
