Federal regulators have issued a formal warning to retailers that they will be subject to criminal and civil fines if they do not remove from their websites or in-store locations any mention of vaping products.
Under the guidance issued Monday, the Food and Drug Administration and the Office of Inspector General will request that retailers remove from sale any mention or link to vaping products or devices.
The agency said that, because of the federal regulations governing vape stores, it could take a “detailed, substantial” enforcement action against retailers if they failed to remove any mention to vaping from their online or in store sites.
The guidance also calls for retailers to stop selling vaping products and accessories from the websites of retailers that violate the rule.
“Vape stores should avoid any mention, or links, to e-cigarettes and related products on their websites, and should remove any products and devices on their store websites that are misleading or deceptive, or that are likely to mislead,” the agency said in a statement.
Last year, the FDA issued guidance for retailers warning consumers about vaping products that were advertised as “vaping products.”
Last month, the agency directed manufacturers to remove from retail sites any vaping-related references from their product descriptions or promotional materials.
