Cherokee County deputies caught seven stores selling vape products to children during an undercover operation on March 20. The Marshal’s Office sent teams with volunteers under 21 into 97 businesses across unincorporated areas of the county.
When employees sold vape products to these young volunteers, deputies issued citations for violating county ordinances.
“I’d like to thank the establishments who refused to sell vape products to an underage person,” Deputy Chief Marshal Dwayne Casteel said. “We do these operations to educate retail personnel and to hold accountable those who do break the law.”
The stores that sold vapes to children were:
- Canton Tobacco and Vapor (6768 Hickory Flat Hwy)
- Bells Ferry Mart LLC (6223 Bells Ferry Road)
- Circle K #219 (2001 Village Professional Drive)
- CJ’s Marketplace (14297 Fincher Road)
- Chevron (298 Mount Olive Church Lane)
- Kay-Way Quick Stop (2094 E. Cherokee Drive)
- Towne Lake 6511 (6511 Bells Ferry Road)
By The Numbers:
- 97 stores checked during the operation
- 7 businesses cited (about 7% of those visited)
- 9 teams of undercover volunteers participated
In Context: Youth vaping continues to concern parents and health officials across Georgia. The CDC has identified vaping as a significant health risk for teenagers, with studies showing that nicotine exposure during adolescence can harm brain development and lead to lifelong addiction.
Take Action: Parents worried about vape sales to children can report suspicious businesses to the Cherokee Marshal’s Office.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
