Category: Legal and Political News

The Food and Drug Administration has just cleared Phillip Morris International and its U.S. partner Altria to start selling the IQOS heat-not-burn device in the United States. Phillip Morris had previously submitted two different applications for the device: one to sell it and one to market it as safer than combustible cigarettes. The first application,

Three different companies are facing a lawsuit from 25-year-old David Bishop of Cordova, TN, who claims that they are responsible for a vape pen that exploded in his face. Before going to work one morning last year, Bishop claims that he decided to use an e-cigarette. According to his lawsuit, when he placed the device

The FDA released a policy draft on Wednesday with the goal of preventing e-cigarettes from getting into the hands of children. Flavored e-juices could be pulled from the market as a result. The draft compliance policy is undergoing a 30 day comment period. Once the regulations are finalized, the FDA would take action against stores

Juul Labs, maker of the world’s most popular e-cigarette, is suing four more companies for trademark infringement. The suit alleges that four New Jersey-based companies – one of them called Juul Monster – infringed on Juul’s trademarks. One aspect of the lawsuit revolves around the company’s use of a cartoon logo known as the Juul

We’re definitely living in the future. Police in Novato, California ended a six-hour standoff by delivering a vape pen to the suspect using a robot. What? The incident started when 40-year-old Juan Roman became angry over problems with the gas pump at a convenience store. He then walked in and splashed gasoline all over the

Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon almost ended up with a job hawking Juul e-cigarettes, according to a report from The Daily Beast. Juul, which has been the target of intense media criticism and raids by the FDA, is the world’s largest seller of e-cigarettes. Since Juul Labs launched its namesake product in 2015,

A new agriculture bill passed by Congress on Wednesday will make hemp completely legal at the federal level in the United States if it is signed into law. This law would remove all of that ambiguity and make CBD completely legal throughout the United States. How does that affect you? Consumers will likely enjoy (even more)

Altria is in talks with Juul Labs to acquire a minority stake in the e-cigarette company Altria’s stock has declined 20% over the past year, but increased 2% following the announcement Juul Labs has been the subject of an FDA investigation and media controversy over their marketing campaigns, which may have been targeted to minors

There are millions of voters in four different states who are going to decide whether to legalize marijuana or expand access to legal marijuana on this upcoming election day. By the time the polls close on Tuesday night, two more states could potentially have passed fully legal recreational marijuana. This means that voters in those

Altria has been under pressure from the FDA and the general public in reaction to the so-called “teen vaping epidemic“. In response to the growing criticism, the tobacco giant has agreed to pull some of their most popular e-cigarette brands from the market because they appeal to kids. What did Altria announce? The company announced

On October 11th, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to Chinese vape product manufacturer, HelloCig, about the contents of their products. HelloCig has 15 days to respond to the letter. If not, they face further action “such as seizure or injunction,” the agency claims. USA Today first reported the story Friday morning.

This week, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) made a big decision for cannabis product manufacturers and retailers. The state board banned cannabis infused gummies, hard candies, and other brightly colored, sweet products. Retailers can sell their current inventory until gone, or must remove it from shelves in April 2019. Manufacturers must immediately

Last Friday, the FDA made a surprise visit to Juul Labs headquarters in California, multiple outlets report. The agency seized over one thousand documents. They were interested in examining the pen vape company’s marketing processes in the wake of ‘epidemic’ teen use. The FDA’s concern stems largely from what the agency considers to be ‘kid-friendly’

Tobacco retailers in San Antonio, Texas prepare for a new city ordinance effective October 1st. Starting next week, the legal age to purchase tobacco products goes from 18 years up to 21, local press reports. The ordinance is appropriately called ‘Tobacco 21.’ Under FDA classification, e-cigarettes and pod vapes, available at many gas stations and

Chicago may hike the city’s already absurd vape tax, The Sun Times reports. Currently, Chicago’s tax is 80 cents per vaping device or container and 55 cents per milliliter of liquid nicotine. Combined with other tobacco product sales taxes in the city, county, and state, Chicago has the highest taxes on tobacco related products in

The Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association (SFATA) announced in a press release that it will join the North American Vapor Alliance (NAVA). These organizations, as a joint venture, will help to build and vie for a comprehensive regulatory framework for vape products across North American borders and abroad. NAVA currently is comprised of the American E-Liquid

A research article in the journal Tobacco Control claims that almost all listings for Juul products on eBay are gone. The FDA demanded the listings removed as part of the agency’s new standards for ENDS sales. Back in April, the FDA announced it was cracking down on the sale of Juul e-cigarettes to minors. As

Philip Morris International’s (PMI) prominent Heat-Not-Burn device, the IQOS, may not reduce harm enough to be considered for MRTP status by the FDA, Reuters reports. PMI submitted their own research data to the FDA for review earlier this year. The tobacco company sought for their I-Quit-Ordinary-Smoking (IQOS) device to earn the Modified-Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP)

The state of New Jersey recently changed medical cannabis legislation for the better, local reports announced. The state now allows dispensaries to carry THC vape cartridges previously outlawed. Dispensaries were previously only authorized to sell topical applications, cannabis flower, and oral lozenges. Since the waiver, two providers have already applied to carry the cartridges. One

Cannabidiol supplements have been on the market for a number of years now. The supplement has taken various forms: oils, tinctures, edibles, and even lotions and other topical applications. The CBD trend rises the more research suggests that this non-psychoactive cannabis component counters struggles like anxiety and depression. CBD is even used to treat life-threatening,

Canada will legalize retail cannabis sale on October 17th this year. Our neighbor to the north is the first developed nation to have such lax cannabis laws. The industry is projected to boom over the coming years following their decision. As such, many have flocked to the already growing private cannabis sector in Canada in

On Wednesday, The FDA announced its most bold and stringent regulatory actions to date for the vape industry. The agency released an official statement on their website, much of which echoed sentiments made by commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, in a speech the same day. The speech is also available on the FDA site in full, but

Recent survey data suggest a rise in the proportion of Americans who believe e-cigarettes are as or more dangerous than combustible cigarettes. Two separate surveys conducted show similar results in the US perception of e-cigarettes and nicotine in general. The perception among those surveyed is largely negative. Let’s Go to the Polls The US Population

The FDA is being criticized for its seemingly null progress on revised tobacco and nicotine regulations announced a year ago. In a scathing editorial by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Michelle Minton called out “the agency’s own cumbersome product approval process” as the biggest reason their regulatory efforts have failed. When the Problem Began The agency

This week, Business Wire reported that the American E-Liquid Manufacturing Standards Association (AEMSA) and the Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) announced a combined effort to revamp vape e-liquid regulatory standards and practices. They dubbed the joint venture the North American Vapor Alliance (NAVA). AEMSA President Scott Eley and CVA President Shaun Casey formed the ad-hoc alliance

CBD products are available in stores and online in most states across the US. CBD is offered in vape juices and edibles for sufferers of myriad problems, including anxiety, depression, and even epilepsy. This year, the FDA approved the first CBD medication for rare forms of epilepsy in children. Even convenience stores and grocers in