Mayor Eric Adams files federal lawsuit against 4 e-cigarette distributors
NEW YORK -- Mayor Eric Adams has gone to federal court to stop the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, the kind that appeal to kids.
It's a sight that the mayor doesn't want to encounter in ever again -- middle and high school kids vaping and smoking e-cigarettes.
"Those who say that these products are safe, that is 100% percent false. These products are packed with nicotine, a toxic and highly additive chemical that is particularly damaging to adolescent minds and bodies," Adams said.
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The mayor argued that some of the vape products are equal to between 175 and 350 single cigarettes.
The suit was filed against four distributors, including Star Vape, which is based in Brooklyn, and Demand Vape, which is based in Buffalo.
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Officials say they sell to retail vape and smoke shops, convenience stores and directly to consumers via the internet. The city sheriff has already confiscated many thousands of dollars worth of those products.
"Flavors included exotic fruits, candy, desert-like tastes and all clearly designed to appeal to young people," the Corporation Counsel's Sylvia Hinds-Radix said.
"Nicotine can change the chemistry of an adolescent's brain. It may affect learning ability. It worsens memory and concentration," Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom said.
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The suit accuses the distributors of violating a host of city, state and federal laws, including the federal RICO statutes which are often used to go after organized crime gangs.
"RICO charges, you go after bloodthirsty profiteers, right? These are gangsters. And that is exactly what these companies are because they're using flavors to addict kids," said Meredith Berman, co-founder of Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes.
The use of e-cigarettes and vaping products has risen exponentially in both the U.S. and in New York City.
The suit seeks millions of dollars in damages.
CBS New York reached out to the distributors named in the suit, but did not immediately hear back from them.