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 The notice comes not long after online platforms and retailers in
the U.S. launched similar takedowns amid government scrutiny toward
vaping's effect on public health.
It also arrives as a bevvy of Chinese startups race to capture a
piece of China's massive potential market for e-cigarettes.
The notice, which was dated October 30, was published one day later
on the website of state monopoly China Tobacco, which is overseen by
the country's tobacco regulator.
In order to "further strengthen the protection of the physical and
mental health of minors," the regulator "urges e-cigarette
producers, retailers, or individual sellers to temporarily close
online sales websites or channels" and "urges e-commerce platform to
temporarily close e-cigarette shops," the regulator stated.
China is home to over 300 million smokers, making it the world's
largest market for smokers.
In recent years Chinese startups have taken venture capital money
and launched products with similar design characteristics to those
made by Juul - the e-cigarette company backed by Altria Group Inc
that swept the United States with its compact form factor and potent
nicotine salt formulation.
Relx, founded by former employees of Uber China, and Snow+, founded
by a team of former bitcoin entrepreneurs, are among the domestic
market leaders.
The companies currently operate in a regulatory gray area in China,
as no national-level rules exist that provide standards for the safe
manufacture and sale of nicotine salt-based e-cigarettes.
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Meanwhile, China Tobacco operates as a state-backed monopoly,
controlling the sale and distribution of all tobacco products across
the country. The unit also generates nearly 6% of the country's
total tax revenue, according to government figures.
In September, an official Juul online store briefly appeared on
Chinese e-commerce sites run by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and JD.com,
only to disappear days later. Juul and the retailers did not comment
on the store's abrupt takedown at the time.
In a public statement, Relx said it will comply with the regulator's
notice and shut down its online sales channels. Snow+ told Reuters
it would comply with the regulations as well.
Alibaba and JD.com did not immediately respond to requests for
comment.
Over the past year, Walmart, Walgreens, and other American retailers
have pulled e-cigarettes from their shelves, following a public
health scare over their impact on minors.
(Reporting by Josh Horwitz and Brenda Goh; Editing by Susan Fenton &
Simon Cameron-Moore)
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