Walmart Inc told the staff on Friday it will stop selling e-cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery products at its US stores, amid a growing crackdown on surging teenage use of such products, reports of vaping-related lung disease and some deaths.

In an internal memo seen by Reuters, the retailer said growing federal, state and local regulatory complexity and uncertainty were behind its decision.

Walmart's move comes on the heels of bans on sales of flavoured vaping products in New York and Michigan and after the Trump administration announced plans to remove all flavoured e-cigarettes from store shelves as officials warned that sweet flavours had drawn millions of children into nicotine addiction.

President Donald Trump and other top US officials also expressed concern about the growing use of such products as health officials investigate the matter.

One possible culprit identified so far is a line of illicit marijuana vape products sold under the brand names "Dank Vapes" and "Chronic Carts."

The New York State Department of Health identified "Dank Vapes" and "Chronic Carts" as products containing Vitamin E acetate, a thickening agent in THC oil that has been a focus in its investigation of the illnesses.

Leading makers of nicotine e-cigarettes, including Juul Labs Inc, British American Tobacco Plc and Imperial Brands Plc said last week their products did not contain Vitamin E compounds.

Last week Amazon.com Inc said it took down vape paraphernalia in line with its policies, although the company did not specify the exact products it removed.  

In May, Walmart raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21 in all its stores and said it would stop selling fruit-flavoured e-cigarettes. The move came after the US Food and Drug Administration called out the company for illegally selling tobacco products to minors.

The regulator also called out other retailers like Kroger Family Dollar, which is owned by Dollar Tree 7-Eleven, Casey's General Stores and Sunoco which were among more than half a dozen convenience store and gas station chains cited for illegally selling tobacco products to minors.

The companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they plan to follow Walmart's decision and stop selling the products.

Walmart shares were little changed in late trading, while shares of Altria Group Inc were up nearly 2 per cent.

Walmart Inc told the staff on Friday it will stop selling e-cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery products at its US stores, amid a growing crackdown on surging teenage use of such products, reports of vaping-related lung disease and some deaths.

Walmart Inc told the staff on Friday it will stop selling e-cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery products at its US stores, amid a growing crackdown on surging teenage use of such products, reports of vaping-related lung disease and some deaths. In an internal memo seen by Reuters, the retailer said growing federal, state and local regulatory complexity and uncertainty were behind its decision. Walmart's move comes on the heels of bans on sales of flavoured vaping products in New York and Michigan and after the Trump administration announced plans to remove all flavoured e-cigarettes from store shelves as officials warned that sweet flavours had drawn millions of children into nicotine addiction. President Donald Trump and other top US officials also expressed concern about the growing use of such products as health officials investigate the matter. One possible culprit identified so far is a line of illicit marijuana vape products sold under the brand names "Dank Vapes" and "Chronic Carts." The New York State Department of Health identified "Dank Vapes" and "Chronic Carts" as products containing Vitamin E acetate, a thickening agent in THC oil that has been a focus in its investigation of the illnesses. Leading makers of nicotine e-cigarettes, including Juul Labs Inc, British American Tobacco Plc and Imperial Brands Plc said last week their products did not contain Vitamin E compounds. Last week Amazon.com Inc said it took down vape paraphernalia in line with its policies, although the company did not specify the exact products it removed.   In May, Walmart raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21 in all its stores and said it would stop selling fruit-flavoured e-cigarettes. The move came after the US Food and Drug Administration called out the company for illegally selling tobacco products to minors. The regulator also called out other retailers like Kroger Family Dollar, which is owned by Dollar Tree 7-Eleven, Casey's General Stores and Sunoco which were among more than half a dozen convenience store and gas station chains cited for illegally selling tobacco products to minors. The companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they plan to follow Walmart's decision and stop selling the products. Walmart shares were little changed in late trading, while shares of Altria Group Inc were up nearly 2 per cent.

Walmart to stop sales of e-cigarettes in US stores: Company memo

Two arrested Muslim women have sued New York City after the city&#39;s police department asked them to remove hijab for their mugshots.

The lawsuit filed by the two women arrested in separate cases in 2017 with the help of an advocacy group of an NGO based in Queens seeks to change the practice&nbsp;of requiring a Muslim woman to remove her hijab in public.

One of the women Jamila Clark has also claimed that the police officer threatened her with prosecution if she refused to remove her Hijab.

The law office has accepted the lawsuit and escalated it for the review process.

Another women name Arwa Aziz also claimed facing&nbsp;similar incident in during which she said she felt&nbsp;humiliated as she was asked to remove her hijab in front of so many men.

The lawsuits seek prohibition of such policy and also damage for those who are affected by this policy.

Media has reported a spokesperson of the city&#39;s law department informing that the case is under review process but they are confident about the verdict not going in favour of the women as the policy is based on constitutional rights of equality.

He further informed that those who do not want to uncover their head in front of others have an option of availing the private facility to go in a separate room for the photograph.

One of the women Jamila Clark has also claimed that the police officer threatened her to prosecute if she refuses to remove her Hijab

Two arrested Muslim women have sued New York City after the city's police department asked them to remove hijab for their mugshots. The lawsuit filed by the two women arrested in separate cases in 2017 with the help of an advocacy group of an NGO based in Queens seeks to change the practice of requiring a Muslim woman to remove her hijab in public. One of the women Jamila Clark has also claimed that the police officer threatened her with prosecution if she refused to remove her Hijab. The law office has accepted the lawsuit and escalated it for the review process. Another women name Arwa Aziz also claimed facing similar incident in during which she said she felt humiliated as she was asked to remove her hijab in front of so many men. The lawsuits seek prohibition of such policy and also damage for those who are affected by this policy. Media has reported a spokesperson of the city's law department informing that the case is under review process but they are confident about the verdict not going in favour of the women as the policy is based on constitutional rights of equality. He further informed that those who do not want to uncover their head in front of others have an option of availing the private facility to go in a separate room for the photograph.

Two arrested women sue New York city after asked to remove hijab for mugshots

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Walmart to stop sales of e-cigarettes in US stores: Company memo

Two arrested women sue New York city after asked to remove hijab for mugshots