Cayuga County, NY Tobacco & Vaping: Flavored Tobacco Bans (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- Sale of flavored e-cigarettes prohibited, § 241-6
- Basis
- County-added on top of NY PHL § 1399-mm-1
- First penalty
- $1,500 civil fine
- Repeat penalty
- $2,500 per subsequent violation
- License consequence
- Suspension up to 6 months, then revocation
- Enforcement
- Cayuga County Health Department, Board of Health
Summary
Cayuga County bans the retail sale of flavored electronic cigarettes outright under section 241-6 of the county code, going further than the state's own flavor restriction on vapor products. A retailer, retail establishment or person caught selling a flavored e-cigarette faces the same civil penalties, license suspension and closure powers used against unlicensed tobacco sales.
§ 241-6. Sale of flavored electronic cigarettes. Unless otherwise permitted by federal or state law, the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes by any retailer, retail establishment, or person is prohibited. § 241-7. Enforcement; penalties for offenses. ... (1) Civil penalties. (a) For the first violation, $1,500; and (b) For all subsequent violations, $2,500. (2) Tobacco retail license suspension and revocation. (a) Suspension of the retailer's, retail establishment's, or person's tobacco retail license for up to three months for a first violation;
Full Breakdown
Section 241-6 flatly prohibits the sale of flavored electronic cigarettes by any retailer, retail establishment or person in Cayuga County, unless federal or state law otherwise permits it. Chapter 241's findings note that New York State Public Health Law section 1399-mm-1 already prohibits flavored vapor product sales, and the Legislature added its own county-level ban because it has a substantial and important interest in reducing the illegal sale of flavored vapor products. The chapter defines 'flavored' broadly under section 241-2 as any product or component that produces a taste or aroma other than tobacco and is intended for use with nicotine consumption, and 'electronic cigarette' covers the device along with its refills, cartridges and other components.
Because the flavor ban sits inside the same chapter as the county's tobacco retail licensing scheme, a retailer selling a flavored e-cigarette risks both a civil penalty and the license consequences that apply to any Chapter 241 violation: enforcement runs through the Cayuga County Health Department, which can conduct unannounced inspections and bring the case before the Board of Health.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the flavored e-cigarette ban carries a $1,500 civil penalty under section 241-7, and every violation after that carries $2,500. The Department can also suspend the violator's tobacco retail license for up to three months on a first offense, six months on a second, and revoke it on a third, and the Board of Health can order the retail establishment closed for as long as 120 days, with reopening conditioned on paying all outstanding fines and holding a valid license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are flavored e-cigarettes illegal to sell in Cayuga County?
What counts as a 'flavored' product under Cayuga County's ban?
What penalty does a store face for selling a flavored vape in Cayuga County?
Who enforces the flavored vape ban in Cayuga County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cayuga County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Cayuga County to another location·View the New York tobacco & vaping overview
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