Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Madison County Sheriff's Office said two people were arrested following a months-long investigation into products being sold at local vape shops.
Sheriff Buddy Harwood says his office received numerous complaints from parents and community members about products sold at the stores that he says are "attractive and accessible" to young people.
"We've been getting a number of calls from concerned citizens, parents from Madison County about the vape shops that's went up in the county and some of those products that’s been sold at some of those shops,” Harwood said.
Harwood says the sheriff’s office began an undercover operation in February after receiving the complaints. Investigators worked with undercover law enforcement from another agency to determine whether products being sold at the shops were legal.
Chief Deputy Van Duncan says investigators would purchase products they had heard were being sold and send them to a laboratory for testing.
“We go in, and we would do a buy of a particular something that we’ve heard about that they’re selling and then we would send it to the lab and have it tested to see if there are illegal compounds in those particular items,” Duncan said.
Harwood says the investigation, including searches of three vape shops throughout the county, determined that Schedule I psychedelics had been sold at the stores. Harwood says some of the products seized were labeled “not for human consumption.”
“Some of the items we seized says not for human consumption, and when you go into one of these places, and you pay 40 dollars for a candy bar, that should be your clue,” Harwood said.
READ MORE: wlos.com/news/local/psychedelics-sold-vape-shops-madison-county-sheriff-investigation-products-community-parents-concerns-youth-young-people-law-enforcement-sold
#vapeshop #drug #news
_______________
Follow WLOS on social media:
WLOS ABC 13 News on Facebook: facebook.com/News13
WLOS ABC 13 News on X: https://x.com/WLOS_13
WLOS ABC 13 News on Instagram: instagram.com/wlos_13
Subscribe to WLOS on YouTube: youtube.com/user/ABC13Channel/?sub_confirmation=1
For all of the day’s top local and national news, visit wlos.com
Stream our newscasts LIVE: wlos.com/watch
Have a news tip? Send it directly to us:
Email us: news@wlos.com
Call the Newsroom: 828.684.1340
--
WLOS ABC 13 News serves the Asheville, NC area and the rest of western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. We keep our audience informed through local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of community events, sports and entertainment programming since 1954.
This video and all Sinclair Broadcast Group content archives of local news and sports coverage are available for your use. For more information contact us at contentsales@sbgtv.com
The Madison County Sheriff's Office said two people were arrested following a months-long investigation into products being sold at local vape shops.
Sheriff Buddy Harwood says his office received numerous complaints from parents and community members about products sold at the stores that he says are "attractive and accessible" to young people.
"We've been getting a number of calls from concerned citizens, parents from Madison County about the vape shops that's went up in the county and some of those products that’s been sold at some of those shops,” Harwood said.
Harwood says the sheriff’s office began an undercover operation in February after receiving the complaints. Investigators worked with undercover law enforcement from another agency to determine whether products being sold at the shops were legal.
Chief Deputy Van Duncan says investigators would purchase products they had heard were being sold and send them to a laboratory for testing.
“We go in, and we would do a buy of a particular something that we’ve heard about that they’re selling and then we would send it to the lab and have it tested to see if there are illegal compounds in those particular items,” Duncan said.
Harwood says the investigation, including searches of three vape shops throughout the county, determined that Schedule I psychedelics had been sold at the stores. Harwood says some of the products seized were labeled “not for human consumption.”
“Some of the items we seized says not for human consumption, and when you go into one of these places, and you pay 40 dollars for a candy bar, that should be your clue,” Harwood said.
READ MORE: wlos.com/news/local/psychedelics-sold-vape-shops-madison-county-sheriff-investigation-products-community-parents-concerns-youth-young-people-law-enforcement-sold
#vapeshop #drug #news
_______________
Follow WLOS on social media:
WLOS ABC 13 News on Facebook: facebook.com/News13
WLOS ABC 13 News on X: https://x.com/WLOS_13
WLOS ABC 13 News on Instagram: instagram.com/wlos_13
Subscribe to WLOS on YouTube: youtube.com/user/ABC13Channel/?sub_confirmation=1
For all of the day’s top local and national news, visit wlos.com
Stream our newscasts LIVE: wlos.com/watch
Have a news tip? Send it directly to us:
Email us: news@wlos.com
Call the Newsroom: 828.684.1340
--
WLOS ABC 13 News serves the Asheville, NC area and the rest of western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. We keep our audience informed through local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of community events, sports and entertainment programming since 1954.
This video and all Sinclair Broadcast Group content archives of local news and sports coverage are available for your use. For more information contact us at contentsales@sbgtv.com
