7-Eleven to pay $1.2M to D.C. over vape sales near schools
Settlement follows allegations of violations of youth vaping ban enacted in 2022.
7-Eleven will pay $1.2 million to the District of Columbia to settle allegations that several of its stores sold vapes and e-cigarettes illegally near schools, the D.C. attorney general’s office announced last week.
The settlement stems from findings that 16 locations, 10 company-owned and six franchises, continued selling electronic smoking devices after a 2022 law banned such sales within a quarter-mile of D.C. middle and high schools. According to the attorney general’s office, more than 7,500 devices were received, offered, or sold in violation of the regulation.
Although 7-Eleven informed the affected stores of the new requirements when the ban took effect in October 2022, none complied, the settlement noted.
“7-Eleven’s illegal sales threatened to reverse the progress we’ve made reducing tobacco use among youth,” D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in a statement. “Protecting the safety of our community is our top priority at the Office of the Attorney General, and that includes enforcing local laws designed to protect the health of our children.”
During the investigation, 7-Eleven removed the prohibited products from the 16 stores, according to The Washington Post. As part of the settlement, the company agreed to annual staff training, reminders for stores within restricted zones, and quarterly monitoring of franchisee sales data to detect possible violations.
The case underscores ongoing efforts by local governments to curb youth access to tobacco and vaping products, particularly in areas close to schools.
