Two Brick Township convenience stores are accused of selling illegal THC vaping products.

Brick police last week cited the owners of Welsh Farms and Pantry Farm – both on Route 88 – with a number of charges related to the sale and distribution of THC vapes. The Department of the Treasury and Consumer Affairs filed more charges against the Brick stores for selling expired medication – and flavored vapes. Legal vape and dispensary store owners say these black-market sales hurt the ones doing it by the books.

“It loses sales for us and then they’re not paying their taxes, and they’re not getting observed and watched – no one is checking their numbers like us. I just went through an audit phase for taxes,” says Vincent Mattia, owner of NJ Vapor Vault.

Gianna Nitti runs Social Leaf Dispensary in South Toms River. She says customers sometimes turn to illegal THC products at convenience stores to avoid the stigma of going into a legal recreational dispensary. She says this comes with other risks like not knowing what it is you’re putting in your body.

“These consumers can come into a shop like ours and get products that they know exactly what’s in there. They don’t have to be worried. They pay taxes on the product. They leave and they know they can travel with the product within the state of New Jersey,” said Nitti. 

The state Department Of Health and Division Of State Lottery will continue the investigation.