Oct. 26, 2018 — Tobacco company Altria says it will discontinue most of its flavored electronic cigarettes and halt sales of some brands.
In its announcement Thursday, the company also said it would support federal legislation to increase to 21 the minimum age for buying any tobacco or vaping products, the Washington Post reported.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been going after e-cigarette makers for marketing that appeals to teens.
In early September, the FDA issues warnings to several companies and gave them 60 days to prove they can keep their e-cigarettes away from minors, and also warned 1,100 retailers to halt e-cigarette sales to minors, the Post reported.
Altria’s decision could pressure other e-cigarette makers to withdraw some products. That includes Juul, which controls more than 70 percent of the market.
“I think Altria will be happy to try to look like the good guy and let Juul take the heat,” Desmond Jenson, a senior staff lawyer with the Public Health Law Center, told the Post.