In January 2021, Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach in California became the first cities in the United States to ban the sale of tobacco products in retail stores
A source close to the deal talks told Reuters that Imperial Tobacco insisted Blu be included, along with Reynolds Kool, Salem and Winston cigarette brands and Lorrilards Maverick
The warning messages collected from these sources were organized into five groups, each identifying specific risk aspects of e-cigarette use: toxic substances in these products
Kroger, which also owns Harris Teeter, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, and other store brands, said it is discontinuing the sale of the product due "to the mounting questions and increasingly-complex regulatory environment." Walgreens said it made the decision "as the CDC, FDA and other health officials continue to examine the issue." A spokesperson for the grocer added that the decision is "reflective of developing regulations in a growing number of states and municipalities." E-cigarettes have come under regulatory and public scrutiny as a mysterious, deadly vaping illness continues to claim lives