Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has filed four more lawsuits in Madison County as part of the series against vape shops to address unlawful conduct.

Hilger said the shops are selling products that are mislabeled, contaminated and dangerous. He announced the lawsuits Tuesday at a press conference with U.S. Congressman Mike Flood

The four lawsuits are against:

• Smokin’ Deals, 101 W. Norfolk Avenue in Norfolk.
• Smokes R. Less, 701 S. 25th Avenue in Norfolk.
• Vapor Hutt, 902 W. Omaha Avenue, in Norfolk.
• NP Mart, a conglomerate with two locations in Norfolk and additional locations in Omaha, Lincoln, Wahoo, Nebraska City, Arlington, Columbus, Fremont, and Valley.

Hilgers said none of the products his office tested were accurately labeled.

The lawsuits charge the shops with:

• Unfair practices: Failing to implement an age verification process, selling THC products to children, and selling products designed to attract consumption by children;
• Deceptive practices: Selling THC products which grossly understate or overstate the concentration of THC contained within the product and by failing to disclose which cannabinoids are contained in the product;
• Harmful products: Selling THC products which are harmful when consumed, especially given children and adults reportedly have been hospitalized after consuming products sold by THC shops.

Hilgers said the lawsuits continue efforts to address the repeated sale of mislabeled, contaminated, and harmful THC products to Nebraskans and their children, he said. Consumers, especially children, are at serious risk of harm due to the deceptive and unfair trade practices of these THC shops, including selling products that have sent Nebraskans to the hospital.

“With our new complaints, we are ramping up our efforts to clean up Nebraska,” Hilgers said. “For the first time, we have sued every store in a community. These stores are misleading Nebraskans. Not one of the products we tested were accurately labeled, and many contained controlled substances.”

“Norfolk is a microcosm of a widespread problem across the state. Dangerous and misleading THC smoke shops have popped up in our communities, harming our people and impacting our way of life,” Flood said.

The lawsuits were filed in the District Court of Madison County, Nebraska. The complaint alleges that the shops have violated the Consumer Protection Act, Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and Nebraska’s Pure Food Act.

The attorney general previously filed a complaint against another Norfolk shop — Kynd, Co. Vape and Smoke, as well as other shops around the state, including one in North Platte and Ogallala.

The attorney general’s office seeks comprehensive redress, including injunctive relief, substantial civil penalties, and other equitable remedies to hold these THC shops accountable for their unlawful actions.

The Nebraska attorney general’s office is responsible for enforcing consumer protection laws and advocating for the interests of Nebraska consumers. Hilgers said protecting consumers, especially children, from harmful products and practices is a top priority for the office.

© 2024 The North Platte Bulletin. All rights reserved.