Walgreens and Kroger halt e-cigarette sales

(HealthDay)—Walgreens and Kroger have followed Walmart and Rite Aid in halting sales of electronic cigarettes.

"We have made the decision to stop selling e-cigarette products at our stores nationwide as the CDC, FDA, and other health officials continue to examine the issue. This decision is also reflective of developing regulations in a growing number of states and municipalities," according to a Walgreens statement released Monday, CBS News reported. Walgreens is the largest drugstore chain in the United States.

In a statement, Kroger said it was "discontinuing the sale of electronic nicotine delivery products, or e-cigarettes, at all store and fuel center locations due to the mounting questions and increasingly complex regulatory environment associated with these products."

U.S. health officials are investigating at least 18 confirmed deaths and 1,080 probable vaping illnesses in 48 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, CBS News reported. Most of those cases involved people who vaped tetrahydrocannabinol, while 17 percent used only nicotine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.