Carson City suspends My Vape and Smoke Shop license for 10 days after sheriff’s investigation

The Carson City Board of Supervisors held a show-cause hearing on Feb. 19 to consider whether business license BL00895-2024 for My Vape and Smoke Shop (1800 E. Williams St., #16) should be suspended, counseled or revoked following an investigation by the Carson City Sheriff’s Office.

Hope Sullivan, Carson City community development director, said the municipal code process (Municipal Code 4.0421) allows the board to require a licensee to appear and show cause why a license should not be suspended, revoked or canceled. Sullivan presented a complaint from the sheriff’s office documenting two related enforcement visits: a July education visit that warned retailers about selling items used as drug paraphernalia, and an Oct. 23 plainclothes purchase in which a detective bought a “quag” (described by officers as a methamphetamine pipe/bong attachment) and an electronic vape containing THCA.

Sheriff Furlong and Sergeant Samantha Torres described the sheriff’s office approach as “educate, prevent, and if all else fails, enforce.” Torres testified officers visited a number of local shops in July to educate clerks about devices used to ingest methamphetamine; in the subject store she said some devices were removed from shelves and placed in a back room at that time. Torres said a later undercover purchase recovered a new quag and that an employee acknowledged those devices were used to ingest methamphetamine. She also said the THCA products were discussed with the store and the county’s cannabis compliance officer was brought in to educate staff; no enforcement action for THCA was taken at that time.

Todd Rees, supervising deputy district attorney, explained the board is conducting an administrative (civil) hearing with a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard; he noted criminal and administrative tracks are separate and that a criminal conviction is not required to sustain an administrative action.

Co-owners Yehayda Wagner and Marina Matias Gomez addressed the board. Wagner said the shop purchased product from a Reno wholesaler and that, once she heard the initial news reports, she removed oil burners from front-of-store shelves and told cashiers not to sell the items. She said the items were later boxed and returned to the wholesaler and that she would step up owner-led purchasing and training. Wagner said she had “absolutely had no idea” about the THCA licensing difference and accepted the education offered by the compliance officer.

Several supervisors expressed concern that an employee had sold an item the owner said she had instructed staff not to sell and that some product had remained in the business. Supervisor Schutte and others said the conduct warranted a suspension rather than immediate revocation so the owners could correct management and training lapses.

Supervisor Schutte moved “to suspend business license BL00895-2024 for a period of 10 days to begin upon receipt by the business of the order of suspension.” The motion was seconded and, after discussion, passed 4–1. Supervisor White voted no and said he could not make findings that met the state statutory criteria for paraphernalia in the materials provided.

The board’s action is an administrative penalty tied to the local business-license code; Sullivan noted the action is not a criminal adjudication. The suspension takes effect when the business receives the formal order. The record shows the sheriff’s office provided investigative material and the business owner accepted the board’s education and corrective direction.