Vape shops, convenience stores and pharmacies in West Chester and across Pennsylvania must pull nicotine vaping products not on the state's approved list before enforcement begins Monday, Oct. 19, or face fines starting at $500 per product.

The deadline stems from Act 57, a bipartisan law Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Dec. 22, 2025. It bars the sale of any nicotine-containing e-cigarette not listed in the state's Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) directory, maintained by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.

Attorney General Dave Sunday said Friday, Oct. 9, that his office plans targeted inspections statewide, starting with compliance education before moving to penalties. In a separate statement Thursday, Oct. 8, Sunday told WGAL, "We encourage businesses with soon-to-be illegal products to ensure their compliance with the law."

The penalties escalate fast. A first violation carries a $500 civil penalty for each unlisted product offered for sale, according to 2Firsts, an industry publication. A second offense within 12 months jumps to $750 to $1,000 per day per product, plus a license suspension of at least 14 days. A third violation means $1,000 to $1,500 per day per product and license revocation.

Penalties are calculated per individual product, not per SKU. A shop with dozens of unlisted items faces steep cumulative exposure.

Retailers who come into compliance within 30 business days of a first notice may negotiate the penalty down to an amount covering destruction costs.

What's on the list

As of the directory's Wednesday, Oct. 7, update, six manufacturers and 159 products were listed. Brands including JUUL, Vuse Alto and blu made the cut. Popular disposable brands such as Geek Vape, RAZ and Lost Mary did not, CBS Pittsburgh reported Friday, Oct. 2.

The Attorney General's Office said 22 manufacturer certifications remain under review, so the list could grow after Oct. 19. The directory is updated at least monthly.

One critical detail for shop owners: brand recognition does not equal product eligibility. Retailers must verify each specific product, flavor and style against the directory, not just the manufacturer's name.

Statewide, shops brace for bare shelves

Pennsylvania has roughly 11,090 licensed tobacco-product retailers, a category that includes vape and e-cigarette sellers, according to an April 9 Attorney General's Office press release.

James Wyckoff, manager of Mountain Vaporz in northeastern Pennsylvania, told WGAL on Thursday, Oct. 8, that none of his store's current vaping inventory appears on the approved list. "Nothing that's been approved, we carry," Wyckoff said. "That case, these two walls, all have to be bare."

How to check compliance

Manufacturers, not individual retailers, must apply to place products on the ENDS directory. But the burden falls on shop owners to confirm every product on their shelves appears in the current listing.

Retailers may purchase nicotine-containing e-cigarettes for resale only from Pennsylvania-licensed wholesalers. Unlisted products remaining on shelves after Oct. 19 will be treated as contraband and may be seized and destroyed.

The full ENDS directory, compliance forms and FAQs are available at attorneygeneral.gov/ends/.