SALT LAKE CITY — Utah residents eager to get their hands on flavored vape products are making the trip to neighboring states, particularly Wyoming, following Utah’s recent enforcement of a statewide ban on flavored nicotine products.
At Juicity Vapor in Evanston, Wyoming — just across the border — Utah license plates have become a common sight. In just a 10-minute window on Monday, vehicles from Weber, Utah, and Sanpete counties pulled into the shop’s lot, all for one reason: to purchase flavored vape juice that is no longer available in their home state.
“I showed up at my usual vape shop, and it was shut down,” said one man from Utah County. “I ended up making the hour-and-a-half drive to Evanston because, at 45 years old, I shouldn’t have to go out of state to buy something that’s still legal elsewhere. If I want to drink diet soda all day, that’s fine — but I can’t get flavored nicotine in Utah?”
Another customer, Samantha Giroux from Ogden, echoed the frustration. “I don’t want menthol or tobacco flavors,” she said. “I feel like the state kind of left people like me out.”
During her trip, Giroux stocked up on supplies, purchasing eight bottles of vape juice, high-nicotine concentration, and a box of atomizers. “It’s just to hold us over,” she said with a laugh.
Bulk buying has become the norm for many Utahns making the journey. The Utah County man said he also grabbed enough to last two months, calling the long drive manageable but inconvenient. “I’m not going to make this trip every week,” he said. “It’s pretty, but it’s still a haul.”
Austin Carrico, the manager at Juicity Vapor, said business has boomed since Utah’s flavored vape ban went into effect.
“Sales have tripled, easily,” Carrico said. “The morning after the ban started, I had nearly 10 cars in the lot right at 9 a.m. It hasn’t slowed down since.”
Carrico added that the surge in demand has prompted the shop to increase staff and install a third register to handle the steady flow of customers.
“It’s great for business, but I can’t help but feel bad for the vape shops back in Utah,” he said. “They’re likely losing a lot of customers — maybe even having to shut down.”
As Utah consumers turn to out-of-state retailers to meet their demand for flavored vaping products, the long-term impact on local businesses and public health remains to be seen.
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