Rite Aid to Stop Selling E-Cigarettes, Vaping Products
Drugstore chain still will sell cigarettes and will test sales of nonedible CBD products.
Apr 15, 2019
CAMP HILL, Pa.—Rite Aid Corp. announced it will stop selling all e-cigarette and vaping products within the next 90 days amid concerns about their use by minors, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Bryan Everett, Rite Aid chief operating officer, on a conference call Thursday cited Centers for Disease Control statistics indicating that tobacco use among high-school students rose 38% in 2018 because of increased e-cigarette use.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed limiting sales of flavored e-cigarettes other than tobacco, menthol or mint at brick-and-mortar stores unless minors are restricted from entering the store or if those items are sold in a separate location in the store that minors are prohibited from entering. The proposal would effectively ban convenience stores and gas stations from selling most flavored e-cigarettes.
NACS recommends that retailers contact the FDA to explain how these restrictions would affect their stores and has prepared a template letter to help. The comment period closes April 30.
Meanwhile, Rite Aid said it plans to sell cannabidiol (CBD) products in more than 200 stores across Oregon and Washington, two states that have legalized recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and older. Rite Aid said that will start selling CBD creams, lotions, and lip balms beginning in April, CNBC reports. Rite Aid’s foray into CBD sales follows similar moves by CVS Health Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance, Forbes reports.
“Rite Aid has heard from many customers about their interest in purchasing CBD products,” the company said in a statement.
CBD is one of the nonpsychoactive cannabinoids in marijuana. The primary psychoactive (mind-altering) cannabinoid found in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance and is illegal under federal law.
