ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) — An Elmira business has been fined by the Chemung County Board of Health after it was discovered they were selling banned nicotine products, according to meeting minutes from the CCBH.

In the minutes taken from the Sept. 8 meeting, it was discovered that in March and May of 2022, multiple instances were noted that Queen City Deli & Grocery, aka, Southside Deli, had been in possession of flavored nicotine vapes and were offering them for sale behind the store counter.

According to the notes, a sanitarian reviewing the store had inventoried and documented 636 total vapes in possession by the business, with all but six containing nicotine. The clerk was advised to relocate the products and not to offer them for sale, because of New York State’s ban on flavored vape products.

A fine of $15,900 was brought up by the board to account for every illegal vape in possession by the business, with a price of $25 per unit being determined to be the cost per vape.

The board redacted six of the vapes that didn’t clearly contain nicotine from the fine, bringing the fine down to $15,600. That number was amended and approved by the board from the previous fine of $15,900, with the motion being approved with eight in favor to one abstained.

Director of Public Health Pete Buzzetti made note that discussion with the county attorney will happen prior to sending any fine to the owners.