Jun. 23 at 2:05 PM
$CHUC Thanks @Marci911 Another enforcement front opens up. Shopify will ban all vapes from its platform as soon as this week, FDA-authorized or not, under pressure from a coalition of 25 state AGs.
Mastercard separately warned partners that unlicensed vape sales violate its standards, with fines on the table for retailers & acquirers who don’t comply.
This is the 2nd major enforcement vector alongside Operation Red Mist’s
$175M seizure (one hit physical/customs enforcement). This one hits e-commerce infrastructure and payment rails, the exact channels illegal vapes (a
$9B+ market per BAT) depend on most.
Licensed players are largely insulated here, a small share of authorized vape sales happen online, so this mainly squeezes the illegal competition CHUC and other compliant PMTA holders compete against.
Doesn’t move the buyout needle directly. But two independent enforcement fronts converging on illegal vapes is a real structural tailwind for anyone actually playing by the rules.