Utahns cross state lines to buy flavored vape products after statewide ban

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — With the state’s ban on flavored vape products in effect, Utahns are crossing state lines to buy their favorite flavored nicotine brands.  

Over the course of 10 minutes on Monday afternoon at the Juicity Vapor shop in Evanston, Wyoming, three cars with Utah license plates pulled into the parking lot. They were filled with people from Weber County, Utah County, and Sanpete County. They were all in Wyoming for one reason: flavored vape products.  

“I went to buy some more at the shop that I normally frequent. It was completely shut down,” one Utah County man told ABC4. “It was kind of a shock, so I drove up to Evanston.”  

He said the drive took about an hour and a half. He added: “I’m 45 years old and I’ve got to drive out of state to buy flavored nicotine. If I want to kill my body with diet soda, that’s totally fine.”  

Another customer, this time from Ogden, walked through the shop’s doors just minutes later. “I don’t want menthol or tobacco,” Samantha Giroux stated. “I feel like they kind of screwed me.”  

While in the store, she stocked up on some of her favorites.  “I bought eight bottles of juice, 100 milligrams, and one box of atomizers just to keep us going,” she said through a laugh.  

Buying in bulk seemed to be the theme of the day. The Utah County man also stocked up. “Two months of nicotine because an hour and fifteen minutes, an hour and a half one way is still quite a trip, but it’s a nice drive,” he stated. “I don’t want to do this every week.”  

“If anything, we’ve tripled our sales,” store manager Austin Carrico told ABC4. “It’s just been a whole different ballgame.”  

He said the impact of the ban was felt immediately at the shop. “I didn’t expect that when that bill ended up going into effect that the next morning I would have almost 10 cars in my parking lot running in here at nine o’clock.”  

He explained that to keep up with the new demand, the store has increased staffing and is getting a new, third cash register. He told ABC4 that while it’s good for business, he feels bad for Utah shops that might not be able to keep their doors open.  

“From a personal business owner standpoint, this is a death sentence.”

Beau Maxon, UVBA vice chairman and local business owner

Beau Maxon, vice chairman of the Utah Vapor Business Association and local business owner, said the association saw this coming. He said Utahns have historically shown that they are willing to travel to buy products, “whether that be fireworks or alcohol or marijuana and now flavored vape.”

As vapor shops on the border of Utah thrive, the shops within the state are struggling with sales since flavored vape products were banned. He said many stores have already closed, and others are trying to adjust by bringing in new product lines.

Maxon said for many it’s more than losing the business, mentioning that some small businesses have long leases and will be stuck with the payments whether or not their doors stay open. For his Park City business, he said he is paying more than $30,000 a month in lease agreements.

“From a personal business owner standpoint, this is a death sentence,” Maxon said.

The legislature — S.B. 61, titled “Electronic Cigarette Amendments” — passed in 2024 with the intention of reducing youth consumption of nicotine products and went into effect last month.

Maxon argues that the ban is creating a black market as people buy vape products in bulk from out-of-state stores and sell them through social media. He said it’s his opinion that black market sellers are “going to be far less apt to care whether or not they’re selling to a 16-year-old or a 36-year-old.”

“It’s my personal opinion and belief that because of this prohibition, we’re going to see youth use skyrocket,” he said.

Maxon said the association worked with legislators this past session to pass a bill that would have required more robust ID scanners, increased video surveillance, and proposed taxes that would contribute $24 million to tobacco prevention and enforcement.

Ultimately, the bill — which would have repealed the flavored vape ban — did not pass.

“The Utah Vapor Business Association looks forward to the 2026 general session after the 2025  SHARP Survey data is released. And we look forward to a healthy and productive conversation where we can be more solution-oriented,” he said.