Walmart to stop selling e-cigarettes

The world’s largest retailer is snuffing out sales of e-cigarettes.

Walmart has decided to stop selling e-cigarettes amid “regulatory complexity” and “uncertainty.” The decision comes as the e-cigarette industry finds itself under increasing scrutiny amid skyrocketing use of vaping by teens and reports of vaping-related respiratory illness and even deaths.

“Given the growing federal, state and local regulatory complexity and uncertainty regarding e-cigarettes, we plan to discontinue the sale of electronic nicotine delivery products at all Walmart and Sam’s Club U.S. locations,” the retailer stated.

There have been 530 confirmed and probable cases of lung injuries related to e-cigarettes as of September 17, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday, which is 150 more than was reported on September 11. Many, but not all, of the illnesses have been linked to vaping mixtures with T.H.C., the high-inducing substance in cannabis.

On Friday, a bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to acting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Ned Sharpless urging him to immediately pull most e-cigarettes off the market until the agency can review their safety.