Kroger Joins the Vape Ban

As concerns over safety and regulations continue to envelop the vaping industry, the Kroger Co. said this week it would cease the sale of all electronic nicotine-delivery products at its stores and fuel centers.

The Cincinnati-based retailer in a statement said the decision was “due to the mounting questions and increasingly complex regulatory environment associated with these products.”

Kroger said the retailer would exit the category after selling through its current inventory.

Walmart last month made a similar announcement. The Bentonville, Ark.-based company earlier this year eliminated the sale of flavored vaping products, citing concerns about its use among underage consumers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week said it was investigating a multistate outbreak of lung injury associated with the use of vaping products. The CDC said national and regional findings suggest products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, have played a role in the outbreak.

The CDC said more than 1,000 lung injury cases associated with using e-cigarette products have been reported from 48 states and one U.S. territory as of Oct. 1, including 18 confirmed deaths.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration separately last week issued a statement urging consumers to not use vaping products containing THC.