CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Multiple agencies served search warrants at Harrison County vape shops Thursday.
The operation is a result of an ongoing investigation into the sale of illegal THC products and potential violations of the new state law, the Vape Safety Act, approved by state lawmakers earlier this year.
Thursday’s raids included the state Tax Department, the state Alcohol Beverage Control Administration, the state Department of Agriculture, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and police from Bridgeport and Clarksburg.
“There are certainly some legit vape shops out there, and this will not apply to them because they’re doing the right thing,” Del. David McCormick, R-Monongalia, who sponsored the Vape Safety bill said. “The ones that are not are going to get raided; they’re going to get prosecuted and possibly sent back to where they came from—we’re going to get rid of this scourge.”
The law that went into effect July 1 requires shops to be licensed annually and stock only state-approved products that are not sold to children. The shops will be subject to periodic inspections; violations can be administrative or criminal, and all can be appealed.
“We’re going to go after the bad actors in these vape shops,” McCormick said. “People that are selling to our kids and fostering the next generation of drug addicts essentially.”
Some stores have been accused of selling illegal substances and even using the stores as a residence in some cases.
“Folks that are here illegally living in these stores, there’s illegal activity going on like money laundering,” McCormick said. “But not all of these stores are bad actors.”
According to state officials, business operators, workers, and state workers are learning the new regulations covering the license application process, product standards, annual fees, labeling, and marketing. State workers have also been learning about the details of the bill, as well as the businesses.
“It may seem a little shocking because it’s the first one,” McCormick said. “But I think this will become old news because I think you’re going to see law enforcement and the state agencies that are involved are very motivated.”