COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — A tobacco shop near Hilliard is being sued for its alleged sales to underage customers.
The Smoke House on Roberts Road is being sued by the city of Columbus for sales that violate the city’s flavored tobacco ban .
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At the start of 2024, the city attorney’s office said the Smoke House continued to sell flavored tobacco products, including flavored vape products to city Department of Public Health agents during undercover compliance checks in January and August, leading to fines against the owners totaling $15,000.
Public Health agents noted six other instances where underage tobacco product purchases took place in recent years and that the store had changed operators twice after receiving notice of the underage sales. The business is also accused of selling cannabis products to underage consumers, leading the business to be fined $1,000 in 2023.
Columbus police sent a notice to the owners in October threatening to take away their tobacco sales license. After one week, Public Health received an application for a tobacco license under the name “Smoke House Plus.” A preliminary injunction is scheduled to take place on Monday.