Nov 24 (Reuters) - A coalition of 25 state attorneys

general on Monday wrote to Shopify ( SHOP ) requesting

the platform pull its hosting services from websites selling

vapes illegally, according to a letter from California's

Attorney General's Office.

The letter, also signed by state attorney general offices

such as those in Illinois and Arizona, as well as state and city

authorities from New York, the District of Columbia and Puerto

Rico, requested Shopify ( SHOP ) to work with them on an ongoing basis to

cut off clients selling vapes that lack the necessary government

license or violate other U.S. laws.

Shopify ( SHOP ) did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for

comment.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized 39

e-cigarette products for legal U.S. sale. However, for many

years, the market has been largely dominated by unregulated

devices, which are often disposable e-cigarettes with fruity or

sweet flavors and are manufactured in China.

"By addressing unlawful e-cigarette sales at their point of

origin, we can make progress faster and more effectively,"

California's Attorney General Rob Bonta said in the letter.

The signatories added they planned to seek similar

agreements with other web hosting providers. They thanked

Shopify ( SHOP ) for removing some vape sellers identified by California

in April, but said a "more comprehensive solution" was needed

due to the public health risks posed by unregulated vapes.

The move is the latest example of authorities clamping down

on widespread vape sales that violate U.S. laws, disrupting the

multi-billion-dollar unregulated industry.

The Trump Administration launched major raids and targeted

U.S. players in the vape supply chain, which, along with steep

tariffs on China, drove vape shortages earlier this

year. Meanwhile, the U.S. Postal Service moved to block a key

vape distributor in August.