East Haven Smoke Shop’s License Revoked for Selling Nicotine Products

# East Haven Smoke Shop Loses License to Sell Nicotine Products After Multiple Violations

A prominent East Haven smoke shop just got slammed with some pretty harsh penalties after repeatedly breaking Connecticut’s tobacco and cannabis rules. Planet Zaza, right in East Haven, lost its license to sell nicotine products after it failed several compliance checks. The shop also faces a record-breaking fine for illegal cannabis sales.

Connecticut 2025 Deals!
Get a discount of 15% to 70% on accommodation in Connecticut! Look for deals here:
Connecticut Hotels, Apartments, B&Bs

Honestly, this might be one of the biggest enforcement actions against a Connecticut smoke shop in a long time. It’s a wake-up call for other businesses across the state, that’s for sure.

Record-Breaking Penalties for East Haven Business

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) suspended Planet Zaza’s Electronic Cigarette Dealer registration on Tuesday. That’s another blow for the already troubled shop.

Earlier, the state hit the shop and its owner, Mohamed Alraishani, with a $4.93 million judgment for illegally selling cannabis products. It’s the largest civil penalty ever imposed in Connecticut for that kind of thing.

Officials from all over Connecticut, from New Haven to Hartford, have been watching this case pretty closely. Even folks in Bridgeport and Stamford have weighed in, saying they support these strict measures since they’re dealing with similar issues in their own towns.

Pattern of Non-Compliance and Illegal Sales

Investigators say Planet Zaza failed six compliance checks over just two years. The DCP’s Drug Control Division and East Haven Police worked together on these inspections and found a troubling pattern of violations.

Since May 2023, officers seized hundreds of illicit cannabis and THC products from Planet Zaza. Some of the packaging seemed designed to attract kids, with fake labels mimicking brands like:

Peeps

Game Boy

Crayola

Nerds

Protecting Connecticut’s Youth from Illegal Products

Taking action against Planet Zaza really shows how serious Connecticut is about keeping illegal cannabis products away from young people. Other towns like Greenwich and Waterbury have raised similar alarms, stepping up their watch over smoke shops and vape stores.

“This case demonstrates the serious consequences businesses face when they repeatedly violate state laws designed to protect our youth,” said a DCP spokesperson. In Norwalk and Danbury, leaders have praised these enforcement steps and want to keep the pressure on in their own areas.

Legal Requirements for Electronic Cigarette Dealers

The DCP keeps reminding electronic cigarette dealers all over Connecticut to follow the rules. These shops can’t sell cannabis products, period, and they’re supposed to check ages and comply with all the state laws on product sales.

The whole Planet Zaza mess started when people complained about illegal cannabis sales to minors. That led to the compliance checks, which uncovered just how bad things had gotten. The shop’s actions went directly against Connecticut’s regulations, which have gotten stricter lately to protect kids from easy access to both nicotine and cannabis products.

A Warning to Connecticut Businesses

Officials hope the unprecedented penalties against Planet Zaza will scare off other businesses from trying similar illegal moves. Losing the nicotine sales license and facing a huge financial penalty basically shuts down the shop as it was.

“This should send a clear message to businesses across Connecticut,” said an East Haven official. “The state takes these violations extremely seriously, and the consequences can be business-ending.”

Connecticut’s still figuring out the tricky mix of legal cannabis and regulated tobacco. The Planet Zaza case stands out as a big example of enforcement that people are talking about from Fairfield to New London and everywhere in between.

Here is the source article for this story: East Haven smoke shop loses license to sell nicotine products

Connecticut 2025 Deals!
Get a discount of 15% to 70% on accommodation in Connecticut! Look for deals here:
Connecticut Hotels, Apartments, B&Bs