NATIONWIDE -- Walmart will stop selling tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to anyone under the age of 21, the company announced Wednesday.
- Walmart raising minimum age to buy tobacco to 21
- The new policy will go into effect on July 1
- Walmart is also making other changes to prevent sales to minors
The retail giant said the new policy will go into effect on July at all its Walmart and Sam's Club stores in the U.S. Walmart also announced it would end the sale of fruit- and dessert- flavored vaping products.
The move comes amid growing pressure from federal regulars to prevent sales to minors.
"We unequivocally acknowledge that even a single sale of a tobacco product to a minor is one too many, and we take seriously our responsibilities in this regard," Walmart's U.S. Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer John Scudder said in a letter to the FDA.
Walmart is also planning to take other actions to curb the sale of tobacco products to minors, including upgrading age-verification training for employees and strengthening penalties for failed secret shopper checks.
Last month, Walgreens announced it would raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21.