Walmart to stop selling electronic cigarettes at its stores

NEW YORK — Walmart says it will stop selling electronic cigarettes at its namesake stores and Sam's Clubs following a string illnesses and deaths related to vaping.

The nation's largest retailer said Friday that it will complete its exit from e-cigarettes after selling through current inventory. It cited growing federal, state and local regulatory complexity regarding vaping products.

More than 500 people have been diagnosed with vaping-related breathing illnesses. An eight death was reported this week. But health officials still have not identified the cause.

Three cases of vaping related-illness have been confirmed in Washington.

The first to be diagnosed with severe lung disease related to vaping was a King County man in his late teens, health officials said.

Two additional cases in Spokane County, a patient in their teens and a patient in their 20s, were confirmed earlier this week.

"All three confirmed cases reported vaping prior to illness but to date we have not identified a product, device or additive that are common to all three cases," officials said.

The Washington State Department of Health said it will continue to provide updates on confirmed cases here.

Information from the Associated Press is included in this report.

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