SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The San Diego City Attorney’s Office has a strong warning to vape retailers still selling flavored tobacco products: comply with the law or face hefty fines. The crackdown comes after flavored tobacco sales were banned locally and statewide last year, with the goal of preventing minors from getting the products. City Attorney Mara Elliott says the growing popularity of vaping among teenagers is concerning, citing statistics that show 87% of teen users prefer flavored e-cigarettes. “Kids get hooked on tobacco, and it can become a gateway to other, more addictive drugs,” said Elliott. Teens charged with hate crimes in connection to Hillcrest pellet gun attacks She accused some retailers of targeting minors with “kid-friendly” flavors like bubble gum and chocolate, as well as promotional ads featuring themes that would appeal to young people. One online retailer, Vapor Authority, advertised products like “Unicorn Fruit-Loops” and Halloween-themed vapes surrounded by candy, which Elliott called anvattempt to market to children. In response, the city has intensified enforcement efforts. After the statewide ban took effect on Jan. 1, 2023, the City Attorney’s Office filed lawsuits against several local businesses for continuing to sell flavored tobacco. Those businesses eventually removed the products from their shelves and paid significant fines. Over 83 tons of ground beef recalled nationwide, illnesses reported: USDA Now, more than a dozen additional Southern California businesses face lawsuits for alleged violations, including well-known chains like Vape Smoke Universe, California Accessories LLC, Aroma Avenue, and Vape Avenue, which operates in Orange and San Bernardino counties. Online retailers Vapor Authority Incorporated and California Vape Shop are also being sued. Investigators from the City Attorney’s Office have conducted undercover operations, purchasing banned products from stores and, in some cases, being escorted to back rooms where illegal items were sold. “We take this very seriously,” said Elliott. “Our investigators confirmed that prohibited products were being sold. Some store owners even walked them to private rooms to showcase these illegal items.” Businesses that fail to comply with the law could face fines of up to $2,500 per illegal sale, Elliott warned. “The way to ensure compliance is to prosecute and enforce the law, attaching fines to violations,” she said. FOX 5/KUSI has reached out to the business owners named in the lawsuits and is still waiting to hear back.