Pharmacy chain Walgreens will start selling vapes in more than 6000 locations soon, according to the Bloomberg news site.
The publication cited Walgreens employees who spoke anonymously and a Juul labs spokesperson who confirmed that FDA-authorized Juul products will be sold by the drug store chain.
The decision is crucial, as it offers vape access to thousands of Americans who vape or would like to, although the Walgreens product variety is likely to be limited to a few FDA-authorized vapes.
Some Walgreens locations, including all New York state stores, can’t sell vapes, due to local or state laws restricting sales in pharmacies.
Walgreens was recently bought by private equity company Sycamore Partners, according to Bloomberg, which may have led to the decision to put vapes back in the stores. The privately operated Walgreens is focused on boosting revenue in its retail locations.
Walgreens runs more than 8000 retail pharmacies, bit lesser than major competitor CVS. After removing all tobacco and consumer nicotine products from its shelves in 2014, CVS became a big contributor to tobacco control organizations, which in turn pressures Walgreens and other pharmacies to also end sales of nicotine products.
Walgreens stopped dealing in vaping products in 2019, when teenage use reached its peak and pressure from tobacco control and public health groups forced a verdict. Walmart and grocery chain Kroger also ended vape sales in 2019.
A Kroger spokesperson told Bloomberg the company resumed selling vaping products in 2023, after the FDA approving certain products for sale and youth vaping declined significantly. Walmart and CVS haven’t reversed their no-vape policies.