Altria announced that it will no longer provide marketing and retail distribution services for Juul, which is facing several lawsuits.

Tobacco giant Altria Group is also leaving a path open for itself to get back into the vaping business on its own.

 Previously, Altria helped promote Juul through the insertion of Juul coupons in Marlboro packs, for example. Now, it will only provide regulatory assistance as of March.

The shift comes amid criticism from anti-tobacco watchdogs who say that Juul lured young people into vaping and that Big Tobacco covets the burgeoning market for e-cigarettes.