Walmart ending sales of e-cigarettes

[AFP] Retail giant Walmart said Friday it would stop selling e-cigarettes in its US stores amid a growing crackdown on flavoured vaping products to deter an ever growing number of young users.

"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 US locations," the world's leading retail chain said in a statement.

"We will complete our exit after selling through current inventory," it said. Sam's Club is a membership-only retail outlet owned by the Arkansas multinational.

The statement came three days after New York state followed the lead of Michigan and announced a ban on sales of flavoured e-cigarettes.

The Trump administration announced on Sept 11 that similar measures would be enacted on the federal level, amid increasing reports of severe lung disease among young people who vape.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 530 people have been diagnosed with serious pulmonary problems after vaping, and at least eight have died according to health officials.

The exact cause of the health problem has yet to be determined.

AFP