AG James and the New York State Department of Health (DOH) today announced a lawsuit against G Smoke 360 Corp. and Liberty Smokeland, two companies operating a vape shop in Ilion, Herkimer County, and their owners, Galal Kaid and Ali Al Shugaa, for persistently violating state laws by selling flavored e-cigarettes, including to minors, and operating without required licenses. The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General James in Herkimer County State Supreme Court, alleges a repeated pattern of illegal activity at the store, G Smoke/Liberty Smokeland (G Smoke), including the sale of illegal flavored vapes, persistent failure to verify the ages of customers and several additional violations of New York Public Health Law. Today’s legal action is part of a coordinated multi-state effort with ten attorneys general across the nation to combat the continued distribution and sale of harmful and addictive flavored vapor products targeted at youth. 

“Despite repeated enforcement actions and warnings, G Smoke has continued to flout state laws and sell harmful products to children, which is why we are taking action to shut their business down. New York has zero tolerance for businesses that prioritize profit over public health, especially when they put our children’s health at risk. My office is committed to holding bad actors accountable and protecting our youth from the dangers of nicotine addiction and predatory marketing practices. This lawsuit is a warning to all retailers: if you sell harmful products to our youth, you will face the full force of the law.” – AG James

https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-and-new-york-state-department-health-take-action-shut