Attorney General Tong Welcomes Shopify Ban on All E-Cigarette Sales Following Call for Action

06/24/2026

(Hartford, CT) — As part of a bipartisan coalition of 25 attorneys general and the City of New York, Attorney General William Tong today welcomed Shopify’s decision to ban the sale of all vaping products, such as e-cigarettes, through its e-commerce platform. The decision is a direct response to the coalition’s November 2025 letter to Spotify calling for stronger safeguards.

“Illegally imported bootleg vapes are untested and unsafe, and I welcome Shopify’s decision to stop facilitating their sale,” said Attorney General Tong.

E-cigarettes are highly addictive and pose significant health risks, particularly to youth, and are therefore subject to strict regulation. States in the coalition, as well as municipalities, have passed laws and ordinances to restrict the sale of e-cigarettes. For example, since July 1, 2025, Connecticut’s preexisting ban on the delivery of traditional cigarettes directly to Connecticut consumers has applied to e-cigarettes as well.

At the federal level, every new tobacco product, such as an e-cigarette, must receive an order from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorizing its marketing and sale in the United States. To date, the FDA has authorized only 45 specific e-cigarette products. E-cigarettes that have not received approval from the FDA, which constitute most of the e-cigarettes offered by online sellers, are deemed “adulterated.” Federal law prohibits the delivery or proffered delivery through interstate commerce of any adulterated tobacco product.

Attorney General Tong has undertaken a series of actions to crack down on in-store sales of bootleg nicotine products. Last January, Attorney General Tong announced an investigation into 12 Connecticut smoke shops and convenience stores and two wholesalers found to be selling highly potent, illegally imported disposable e-cigarettes flavored and designed to appeal to youth. That investigation is active and ongoing.

The November 2025 letter to Shopify was co-led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the City of New York. Joining them were the attorneys general of Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Assistant Attorneys General Amor Rosario and Heather Wilson, Deputy Section Chief for Tobacco Enforcement are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.

Twitter: @AGWilliamTong

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Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov

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