“7-Eleven will pay $1.2 million to resolve allegations that the company violated DC’s ban on the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes within a quarter mile of middle and high schools.”

From the DC Office of the Attorney General (OAG):

“Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that 7-Eleven will pay $1.2 million to resolve allegations that the company violated DC’s ban on the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes within a quarter mile of middle and high schools. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) revealed that, since the ban went into effect in October 2022, sixteen 7-Eleven convenience stores near DC schools illegally sold thousands of electronic smoking devices. After OAG’s investigation, 7-Eleven removed electronic smoking devices from the shelves at stores within prohibited school zones. Now, as part of a settlement, the chain, in addition to paying a monetary penalty, must permanently stop all sales and marketing of these devices at its stores near DC schools, provide training to staff, and monitor franchise stores to ensure compliance with DC law.

“Selling vapes and e-cigarettes near schools is illegal because, particularly for young people, these nicotine products are addictive and unhealthy,” said Attorney General Schwalb. “7-Eleven’s illegal sales threatened to reverse the progress we’ve made reducing tobacco use amongst youth. Protecting the safety of our community is our top priority at the Office of the Attorney General, and that includes enforcing local laws designed to protect the health of our children.”

7-Eleven is a retail chain which owns and franchises thousands of convenience stores across the US and internationally. In the District of Columbia, 7-Eleven has dozens of locations, including 16 stores located within one quarter mile of a middle school or high school.

On October 1, 2022, a new DC law went into effect banning the sale of electronic smoking devices within a quarter mile of a middle or high school. Electronic smoking devices include vapes, e-cigarettes, and other devices that generate vapor or aerosol to be inhaled by the user.

In August 2022, before the law went into effect, 7-Eleven notified sixteen stores—including ten stores owned by the chain and six franchises—of the upcoming ban. OAG’s investigation revealed that despite this direct notification, all sixteen stores near DC middle and high schools continued to sell electronic smoking devices after the ban took effect. In total, the stores received for sale, offered for sale, or sold more than 7,500 devices in violation of DC law.

During OAG’s investigation, 7-Eleven sent additional notices regarding the law to stores within defined school zones, removed vapes and other electronic smoking devices from the shelves of those stores, and removed the devices from inventory systems for those stores so they cannot be sold. Now, under the terms of a settlement agreement that resolves OAG’s investigation, 7-Eleven must:

Pay $1.2 million to the District.
Permanently stop selling and marketing vapes and e-cigarettes near DC schools. In response to OAG’s investigation, 7-Eleven has removed vapes and e-cigarettes from the shelves and inventory systems of stores in school zones. The settlement makes this change permanent. It also requires the chain to refrain from advertising or marketing electronic smoking devices inside stores within school zones.
Provide annual training to staff and reminders to stores in school zones. 7-Eleven must provide annual training to staff at corporate-owned stores in school zones on compliance with DC law, and will request that franchise stores also participate in training. 7-Eleven must also send an annual notice to all retailers in school zones reminding them of the ban on sales of electronic smoking devices at their location.
Monitor franchise stores and take steps to ensure compliance with DC law. 7-Eleven will be required to monitor franchise store data on a quarterly basis to identify any violations of DC’s ban on selling electronic smoking devices near schools. If 7-Eleven identifies violations, it must notify the store that continued violations could lead to the termination of its franchise agreement and it must notify OAG. If a franchise store receives four notices of violations within a two-year period, 7-Eleven must terminate its franchise agreement with the store and provide notice of the termination to OAG.

A copy of the settlement is available here.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Meryl Grenadier, Investigators Tim Shirey and Ken Barrington, and Office of Consumer Protection Director Kevin Vermillion.”