CASSELBERR KELSI: STARTING NOW, WALMART OFFICIALS SAY STARTING NOW THEY WILL BEGIN TO PHASE OUT ALL SALES OF E-CIGARETTES IN ALL STORES INCLUDING BOTH WALMART AND SAM’S CLUB. AS DOCTORS CONTINUE TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHY MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE GOTTEN SERIOUSLY ILL FROM WHAT APPEARS TO BE VAPING WALMART IS TAKING A PREVENTATIVE STEP AND SAYS IT WILL NOW NO LONGER SELL E-CIGARETTES. >> THAT’S ACTUALLY A GOOD THING BECAUSE FROM WHAT I’M HEARING, POPCORN LUNGS TO LIKE ALL THES DIFFERENT DISEASES, YOU SHOULDN’T EVEN BE DOING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE GOD KNOWS WHAT IN THEM. >> WALMART’S DECISION WAS CONFIRMED FRIDAY AFTER AN INTERNAL MEMO DETAILING THE COMPANY’S PLAN SURFACED. IN THAT MEMO THE COMPANY SAID GIVEN THE GROWING FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL REGULATORY COMPLEXITY AND UNCERTAINTY REGARDING E-CIGARETTES, WE PLAN TO DISCONTINUE THE SALE OF ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY PRODUCTS. >> THE FACT THAT WALMART IS DECIDING NOT TO SELL THEM ANYMORE IS PROBABLY A GOOD MOVE. I THINK THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE AREN’T GOING TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES AND THEY’RE KIND OF FORCING THE HAND. >> BUT SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY THINK WALMART’S DECISION WON’T DO ANYTHING BUT FORCE PEOPLE TO GO TO ANOTHER STORE TO BUY THEIR E-CIGS. >> IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE THOUGH BECAUSE NOW SOMEBODY’S GOT TO STOP SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET THAT WHERE THEY WERE STOPPING HERE. >> EARLIER THIS SUMMER WALMART ANNOUNCED IT’S PLAN TO RAISE ITS MINIMUM AGE TO BUY TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO 21. THE COMPANY SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE TO SELL TRADITIONAL TOBACCO CIGARETTES KELSI: WALMART OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SELL ALL OF THE E-CIGARETTES IT CURRENTLY HAS IN INVENTORY