AG Jackson joined a bipartisan coalition of 25 attorneys general in urging nine major credit card companies and payment processors (American Express, CapitalOne, Citigroup, Mastercard, Visa, PayPal, Stripe, Sezzle, and Block) to take stronger action to stop their payment networks from being used to sell illegal vaping products, particularly to children. E-cigarettes are strictly regulated under both federal and state law because of their addictiveness and potential to cause health risks. At the federal level, all e-cigarette products must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they can be legally sold. The FDA has authorized only 45 products, all in tobacco or menthol flavors, meaning most vaping products on the market are not approved and are considered “adulterated” under federal law.

“It shouldn’t be this easy for a kid to go online and buy a vape using a credit card. Credit card companies need to create stronger safeguards that stop kids from being able to buy illegal products that are harmful for them.”  – AG Jackson