LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - Shopify ( SHOP ) has told

customers using its web-hosting services to remove vape products

from their online stores, according to a notice seen by Reuters

and confirmed by the company on Friday.

Reuters reported in June that the Ottawa-based company, which

provides the infrastructure that enables millions of merchants

to run and scale e-commerce businesses, was planning the move

after pressure from a coalition of U.S. state and city law

enforcement authorities over widespread sales of illegal vapes

through websites hosted on Shopify's ( SHOP ) platform.

Shopify's ( SHOP ) new policy, however, applies to all vape

products.

"Due to changes in legal restrictions on the sale of

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), Shopify ( SHOP ) no longer

supports the sale of these products," the June 24 notice said,

instructing merchants to remove all e-cigarette products by July

8 or risk product suspension or store termination.

Shopify ( SHOP ) confirmed the notice was authentic, but did not

comment further. Earlier in June, the company told Reuters it

prohibited illegal activity and that enforcement decisions were

based on its assessment of legal requirements across

jurisdictions.

The move follows pressure from attorneys general from states

including California, ​Illinois and Arizona, as well as

authorities in the City of New ⁠York, the District of Columbia

and Puerto Rico. The same coalition has also pushed for policy

changes at other companies, including Mastercard.

"This change will help significantly reduce the sale of illegal

nicotine products. We will continue to hold companies

accountable and protect public health," California Attorney

General Rob Bonta said. Bonta led the coalition alongside the

City of New York.

A spokesperson for Bonta told Reuters that Shopify's ( SHOP )

decision applies globally.