GOUVERNEUR -- Kinney Drugs will no longer sell electronic cigarettes or vaping products in their New York retail stores effective Aug. 1.

This decision is in response to alarming statistics demonstrating that these products are increasingly being used by teens and children, according to a Kinney Drugs press release.

Kinney’s, which is based in Gouverneur, has stores there and in Ogdensburg, Canton, Massena and Potsdam.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco use among children grew nearly 38% between 2017 and 2018, driven largely by a surge in e-cigarette use, which increased 78% among high school students and 48% among middle school-aged children.

“We would like to thank Kinney Drugs for taking this important step,” said Franklin Fry, Executive Director of the American Heart Association in Syracuse, NY. “Actions like this can help prevent our children from starting a deadly habit.”

To provide people with the help they need to quit smoking, Kinney Drugs carries a broad line of smoking cessation products, and their pharmacists will continue to assist patients looking to quit tobacco with their personalized “Ready. Set. Quit.” Smoking Cessation Program.

In addition, Kinney Drugs will continue to partner with the American Heart Association to educate patients on the connections between tobacco use and the increased incidence of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.