The federal government is attempting to intervene in a lawsuit between a tribal tobacco manufacturer and the State of Nebraska.

HCI Distribution Inc. (“HCI”) and Rock River Manufacturing (“Rock River”) filed a lawsuit against the State of Nebraska alleging that Nebraska was attempting to regulate the companies’ tobacco production in violation of the U.S. Constitution. HCI and Rock River are subsidiaries of Ho-Chunk Incorporated (“Ho-Chunk”), which is the economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe. Continue Reading Federal Government Seeks to Intervene in Tribal Lawsuit Against the State of Nebraska

The United States Food and Drug Administration recently obtained summary judgment on several cigar industry claims challenging the FDA’s Deeming Regulations.  The case was filed by industry plaintiffs Cigar Association of America, the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association and Cigar Rights of America on July 15, 2016, shortly after the FDA issued the final regulations.  The plaintiffs have indicated that they will appeal the court’s decision, and have requested that the court enjoin enforcement of the FDA’s health warning requirements pending the resolution of the appeal. Continue Reading Deeming Regulations Litigation Update – Cigar Industry Plaintiffs Seek Stay of Health Warning Requirements Pending Appeal

Legislators in New York are looking to pass a bill that would ban the sale of flavored e-liquid tobacco products.

Sponsored by New York State Senator Kemp Hannon, Senate Bill S8610 looks to “eliminate the temptation for young people in New York State to try flavored electronic cigarettes and in turn reduce the number of people who become regular users of tobacco products” by prohibiting the sale and distribution of flavored e-liquids used in electronic cigarettes. Continue Reading New York Bill Looks to Ban the Sale of Flavored E-Liquid

There has been new activity in two of the three Deeming Regulations challenges filed by vapor-industry plaintiffs represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation (“PLF”): Moose Jooce, et al. v. Food & Drug Admin., et al., No. 1:18-cv-203 (D.D.C.), and Rave Salon, Inc. v. Gottlieb, et al., No. 3:18-cv-237 (N.D. Tex.). The cases involve challenges based on the Appointments Clause and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Continue Reading Deeming Regulations Litigation Update–Case Transferred, Appointments Clause Briefing Scheduled

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kimberly C. Priest Johnson has denied a motion to transfer the Deeming Regulations challenge in En Fuego Tobacco Shop LLC, et al. v. U.S. Food & Drug Administration, et al., No. 4:18-cv-00028 (E.D. Tex.). On June 5, the FDA appealed her decision to District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III. Continue Reading Deeming Regulations Litigation Update–Motion to Transfer Cigar Challenge Denied, Appealed by FDA

The Federal Trade Commission recently issued its Cigarette Report and Smokeless Tobacco Report summarizing 2016 data about the tobacco industry.  Important observations from the Cigarette Report include:

  • The number of cigarettes that the largest cigarette companies in the United States sold to wholesalers and retailers nationwide declined from 244.2 billion in 2015 to 240.5 billion in 2016;
  • The amount spent on cigarette advertising and promotion increased from $8.30 billion in 2015 to $8.71 billion in 2016; and
  • Price discounts paid to cigarette retailers ($5.81 billion) and wholesalers ($1.44 billion) were the two largest expenditure categories in 2016. Combined spending on price discounts increased from $6.95 billion in 2015 to $7.25 billion in 2016, accounting for 83.2 percent of industry spending.

Continue Reading FTC Issues Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Reports

A federal court has dismissed a case challenging the FDA’s allowance of the word “natural” in Natural American Spirit’s (“NAS”) product packaging and labeling. The Plaintiff lacks standing to sue under Article III, § 2, of the U.S. Constitution, which limits federal courts to deciding actual “cases” or “controversies.” Continue Reading Plaintiff Lacks Standing to Force FDA Action Against Tobacco Company

On January 30, 2018, three separate challenges to the Deeming Regulations were filed by vapor-industry plaintiffs represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation (“PLF”), each raising issues under the Appointments Clause and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution:

  • Moose Jooce, et al. v. Food & Drug Admin., et al., No. 1:18-cv-203 (D.D.C.);
  • Rave Salon, Inc. v. Gottlieb, et al., No. 3:18-cv-237 (N.D. Tex.); and
  • Hoban, et al. v. Food & Drug Admin., et al., No. 0:18-cv-269 (D. Minn.).

When PLF announced the filings, it characterized “[t]hese three simultaneously filed lawsuits” as an “opening salvo.” Will the FDA be able to outmaneuver the three-pronged attack? Continue Reading Deeming Regulations Litigation Update–FDA Seeking to Consolidate PLF Legal Challenges in Single Court

Earlier this month, we reported on a lawsuit filed by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company (UST) challenging the FDA’s issuance of Not Substantially Equivalent Orders for a smokeless tobacco product.  The FDA has now moved to dismiss the lawsuit for lack of subject matter jurisdiction after rescinding the NSE orders at issue. Continue Reading FDA Moves to Dismiss Suit Regarding SE Standards