If you’re here looking for a product you’ve purchased from us before and can’t find it, I want to speak to you directly—and honestly—about why that’s happening.
Kentucky has recently passed new legislation—commonly referred to as HB11 and SB100—that fundamentally changes how vape products can be marketed, sold, and delivered within the state. These state laws now regulate what products may be sold in the commonwealth.
As a locally owned Kentucky business, we do not have the option to ignore these laws. Enforcement penalties are severe, and non-compliance would put our employees, our stores, and our ability to serve you at risk. That is why you are seeing changes on our website.
Under the new rules, many vape products that adult customers have used responsibly for years are no longer eligible for sale in Kentucky. In some cases, products may still exist, but we are legally prohibited from advertising, listing, or delivering them through our website or retail outlets.
These restrictions go far beyond age verification or labeling standards, which we already supported and complied with. The laws now create a very narrow “safe harbor” of products regardless of adult demand or customer history.
HB11 and SB100 were largely lobbied for and shaped by big tobacco and large national nicotine interests. These companies have extensive legal teams, regulatory infrastructure, and the ability to absorb complex compliance requirements.
Independent vape shops like ours have steadily taken market share from traditional tobacco companies by serving adult customers directly and offering alternatives outside of legacy tobacco systems. The structure of these laws makes it significantly harder for small businesses to continue competing in that way, while favoring companies large enough to navigate restrictive product lists, approval processes, and enforcement risk.
While these bills are often presented as public-health measures, their real-world effect is market consolidation: fewer choices for adult consumers and increased pressure on local, community-based retailers and manufacturers.
You may notice:
Products you previously purchased may no longer be available.
Fewer options available for local delivery and available in store
A shift toward products that meet Kentucky’s new compliance rules
What this does not mean:
We are abandoning adult customers
We agree with how these laws were written
We support limiting responsible adult choice
Our commitment remains the same:
We will remain fully compliant so we can continue operating in Kentucky
We will help customers transition to legal alternatives whenever possible
We will continue advocating for fair treatment of small businesses and adult consumers
We will continue to operate as a local business accountable to customers - not corporations
If you have questions or frustrations, we encourage you to talk with our staff or reach out directly. Transparency matters to us, and we believe informed customers deserve honest answers.
Thank you for continuing to support a locally owned Kentucky business during a time when doing the right thing is more complicated and more cumbersome than ever.
Sincerely,
Kevin Engle
Owner, 723 Vapor
Lexington & Louisville, Kentucky
