LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) — A total of 12 vape shops in Loudoun County were fined after they were caught selling products to minors during an undercover operation.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday that 31 vape and tobacco shops were visited during the operation and deputies discovered that 12 sold age-restricted products to customers under 21. This includes five stores that were caught violating the law during a similar operation in 2024.
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Loudoun County deputies said the following shops sold to a person who posed as an underage customer:
- AIO Smoke & Vape – Sterling (Pigeon Hill Dr.)
- Ashburn Cigar & Vapes (2nd offense) – Ashburn (Ashburn Shopping Plz.)
- Diamond Tobacco & Vapes – Lansdowne (Diamond Lake Dr.)
- HUB – Sterling (Pigeon Hill Dr.)
- Sterling Smoke & Vape (2nd offense) – Sterling (Enterprise St.)
- Tobacco Flex – Purcellville (Main St.)
- Tobacco Hut (2nd offense) – Ashburn (Ashbrook Commons Plz.)
- Tobacco Hut – Ashburn (Church Rd.)
- Tobacco King (2nd offense) – Sterling (Leesburg Pike)
- Tobacco King & Vape – Sterling (Leesburg Pike)
- Tobacco King & Vape (2nd offense) – Leesburg (Fieldstone Dr.)
- Tobacco King & Vape – Leesburg (Market St.)
Deputies conducted compliance checks at stores across the county including in the Town of Leesburg to determine if shops were adhering to the Virginia Code § 18.2-371.2, which prohibits selling, distributing, purchasing for, or allowing the purchase of any tobacco or hemp product to a person under 21 years of age.
According to the sheriff’s office, the first violation carries a $500 penalty for the business and $100 for the employee who made the sale. However, repeat violators within a 36-month period carry a steeper penalty of $2,500. This can also result in the suspension or the business’s license being revoked by the Virginia Department of Taxation.
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“It is deeply concerning that some businesses continue to disregard the law and the health of our young people,” said Sheriff Mike Chapman. “We will continue to hold violators accountable, including the loss of their license to do business in Loudoun County.”…