Alibaba ends sales of ENDS components in United States market
Photo Credits: Timothy S. Donahue
Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba said on Wednesday cease selling electronic nicotine-delivery system (ENDS) components in the U.S. amid growing regulatory scrutiny and reports of lung disease and some deaths linked to THC vaping.
The move follows announcements by Kroger Co and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc this week that they would stop selling e-cigarettes at their stores, in line with a similar decision by Walmart, according to a story by Reuters.
Alibaba said it already had a long-standing policy in place to not sell complete e-cigarette products in the United States.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said that listings for products such as box mods, vape pens, herbal vapors, heat not burn devices, and empty pod cartridges would not be displayed for users located in the United States, according to the story.
Prior to the suspension, buyers could easily purchase devices, component parts and packaging from sites like Alibaba or Amazon to make their own counterfeit vaping devices.
Amazon.com Inc took down vape paraphernalia in September, although it did not specify the exact products it removed, the story states.