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Massachusetts AG Healey Sues 8 Retailers Over Sales Of Flavored Vapes

BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts attorney general announced Monday she has sued eight online retailers of e-cigarettes she alleges violated the state's new ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products.

"These companies are in flagrant violation of our new state law that was put in place to protect young people from the serious harms caused by vaping," Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement. "Our state has been a leader in fighting this public health crisis, and we will continue to go after companies that ignore our laws and put young people at risk."

The complaint was filed in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston.

All the companies are based outside of the state.

They all violated state laws by selling flavored tobacco products to Massachusetts consumers and failing to protect against delivery of the products to minors, Healey said.

The complaint also seeks a preliminary injunction to prevent the sale of the products while the lawsuit is pending. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Jan. 7.

Massachusetts last month became the first state in the country to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, e-cigarettes and e-liquids.

(© Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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