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Saturday, May 11, 2019

Walmart raises U.S. tobacco purchase age to 21 starting in July

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Walmart Inc said on Wednesday it will raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21 across its U.S. stores starting July 1, responding to growing regulatory and political pressure to curb a surge in teenage use of e-cigarettes.

It also pushed the world’s largest retailer to say it discontinue the sale of fruit-and dessert-flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems.

In March, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) put 15 national retailers, including Walmart, Kroger, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Family Dollar Stores, on notice for allegedly selling tobacco products such as e-cigarettes to minors. In April, Walgreens and Rite Aid said they would raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21.

Last month, U.S. Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell said he plans to introduce legislation to raise the minimum age for buying tobacco products, including vaping devices, to 21 from 18.


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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those "fruit-and dessert-flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems" are a clever scheme to get kids to become addicted. Straight from Captain Crunch and Froot Loops to vaping.

Anonymous said...

Military to 21

Anonymous said...

So if Walmarts stance is you can't make adult decisions until you are 21 does that mean they won't hire anyone under that age also?

Anonymous said...

Adult decision = old enough to choose a way to slowly kill yourself.