PORTLAND, Ore. -- An electronic cigarette manufacturer announced Tuesday it would voluntarily stop selling its products in Oregon, the same day the state sued to keep a Florida company's e-cigarettes off the shelves.
NJOY will temporarily suspend sales of its products in the state in order to "facilitate discussions" with Oregon Attorney General John Kroger, according to a press release from the company.
The announcement came on the same day Kroger had sued to block sales of e-cigarettes by Smoking Everywhere, which made false health claims about nicotine and targeted children with sweet flavors such as bubblegum and chocolate, according to the state's lawsuit.
NJOY's decision wasn't related to the state lawsuit against Smoking Everywhere, according to company spokesperson Amy Linert, and the timing was coincidental.
She said NJOY was in negotiations with the state of Oregon over the product's safety standards, its marketing strategies and the company's assertion that federal studies into e-cigarette safety may be inaccurate.
Manufacturers say electronic cigarettes are safe because they use a water vapor mist to deliver flavor and ingredients, unlike the burning tobacco that creates smoke in a real cigarette.
Smoking Everywhere's attorney also told KGW in June that its product is safe.
"They are legal and no authority has shut them down," Conrad Yunker said in June.
E-cigarettes have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which claims they contain some cancer-causing ingredients.
Last month, the state Department of Justice banned the sale of electronic cigarettes at two travel store chains until they are approved by the FDA, or until a court rules the FDA does not have the authority to regulate the devices.
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NJOY claims it only markets its e-cigarettes to adult smokers. It also said by agreeing to suspend sales temporarily it was not admitting fault or "any violation of the laws of Oregon."
Kroger said Oregon is the first state to take legal action against an e-cigarette manufacturer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
