East Wenatchee Stores Hailed for Denying Vapor Products to Minors

When it comes to the sale of "vapes," convenience retailers in East Wenatchee are abundantly law-abiding, as demonstrated by a recent investigation (the first compliance check of its kind in the city).

East Wenatchee is not immune from the scourge of underage vaping. Earlier this year, grumblings from parents and educators reached a fever pitch, according to Police Chief Rick Johnson.

"I know the SROs had been provided, like, 'Hey, here's some packaging that we're finding in the school,'" Johnson says. "And then we also were receiving some complaints from parents: 'Hey, I found these in my child's possession. I'm not sure where they're getting them.'"

Get our free mobile app

"That's what prompted the entire thing. The timeframe we worked on it was May through June."

Many adults were complicit - or so police had been told.

"School resource officers had gotten information about locations in East Wenatchee that were selling to underage individuals," Johnson says. "So one of our school resource officers, Issac Cooper, worked with one of our detectives to set the investigation up."

An 18-year-old decoy - confidential informant - was let loose on unwitting store clerks. The youngster visited a half-dozen stores, including Circle K and 7-Eleven. All of these businesses were "within compliance," Johnson beams. "No violations were observed." In other words, the decoy was, in every instance, refused vapor products.

According to Johnson, the penalty for unlawfully peddling vapes is no joke.

"It's a gross misdemeanor," he says. "Those are punishable by up to one year in jail." Crippling fines may also be leveled at offenders.