The National Association of Attorneys General urged streaming services to protect young viewers from tobacco imagery in video content. In a letter released Wednesday, 43 state and territory AGs said the companies should eliminate or exclude tobacco imagery in future original streamed content for young viewers; designate as such tobacco-free content for all ages; allow controls to restrict access to content with tobacco imagery, regardless of rating; and stream “strong anti-smoking and/or anti-vaping Public Service Announcements, as appropriate, before all content with tobacco imagery.” The letters were sent to 13 companies, including Amazon.com, Comcast, Discovery, Google and Viacom, NAAG said. The companies didn't comment.

The National Association of Attorneys General urged streaming services to protect young viewers from tobacco imagery in video content. In a letter released Wednesday, 43 state and territory AGs said the companies should eliminate or exclude tobacco imagery in future original streamed content for young viewers; designate as such tobacco-free content for all ages; allow controls to restrict access to content with tobacco imagery, regardless of rating; and stream “strong anti-smoking and/or anti-vaping Public Service Announcements, as appropriate, before all content with tobacco imagery.” The letters were sent to 13 companies, including Amazon.com, Comcast, Discovery, Google and Viacom, NAAG said. The companies didn't comment.

The National Association of Attorneys General urged streaming services to protect young viewers from tobacco imagery in video content. In a letter released Wednesday, 43 state and territory AGs said the companies should eliminate or exclude tobacco imagery in future original streamed content for young viewers; designate as such tobacco-free content for all ages; allow controls to restrict access to content with tobacco imagery, regardless of rating; and stream “strong anti-smoking and/or anti-vaping Public Service Announcements, as appropriate, before all content with tobacco imagery.” The letters were sent to 13 companies, including Amazon.com, Comcast, Discovery, Google and Viacom, NAAG said. The companies didn't comment.

The International Trade Commission is beginning another Section 337 investigation into allegations that electronic delivery systems from a second set of companies infringe patents held by Juul Labs, it said in a press release. In a complaint filed Nov. 20, Juul had alleged that companies mainly in the U.S. and China are manufacturing, importing and selling products that copy its patented designs, including nicotine “pods,” mouthpieces, storage compartments and heaters. The ITC recently began another investigation based on Juul's similar allegations against another set of companies (see 1812130036). In this investigation, the ITC will consider whether to issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of infringing merchandise by the following companies:

The International Trade Commission will consider bans on imports of e-cigarettes from a lengthy list of companies in the U.S. and China, beginning a Section 337 investigation Dec. 10 to consider Juul Labs' claims of patent infringement, the ITC said in a news release. In a complaint filed in early October (see 1810110024), Juul said the companies are manufacturing, importing and selling products that copy its patented designs, which cover pod-based e-cigarettes that use a heating element that atomizes a nicotine-containing liquid in a pod and delivers it to the user through the mouthpiece as a vapor. Juul has since filed a second, separate Section 337 complaint on the same products from a different set of companies (see 1811270017). The ITC will in its investigation consider issuing a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders banning importation and sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems by the following respondents:

The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of Nov. 30 (some may also be given separate headlines):

Juul Labs on Nov. 20 filed another Section 337 complaint seeking a ban on imports of electronic nicotine delivery systems from a second set of companies that Juul alleges infringe its patents. Similar to a complaint filed by Juul in October (see 1810110024), the e-cigarette maker’s new complaint says a separate group of companies mainly in the U.S. and China are manufacturing, importing and selling products that copy its patented designs, including nicotine “pods,” mouthpieces, storage compartments and heaters. The complaint requests a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders against the following respondents: DripTip Vapes, The Electric Tobacconist, Fuma Vapor, Lan & Mike International Trading, Lizard Juice, Maduro Distributors, MistHub, Noah Dovberg, ParallelDirect, Saddam Aburoumi, Sarvasva, Shenzhen Haka Flavor Technology, Shenzhen OCIGA Technology, Shenzhen OVNS Technology, Shenzhen Yibo Technology, Twist Vapor Franchising, United Wholesale, Vape4U, Vaperz, Vaportronix, Vapor 4 Life Holdings, The ZFO, Ziip Lab S.A. and Zipp Lab Co. Ltd. Comments are due to the ITC by Dec. 5.

The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of Nov. 14 (some may also be given separate headlines):

Maritime and shipping container companies, a major trucking company and companies big and small whose livelihoods depend on Chinese imports will testify across a day and a half of hearings to help the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative determine which imports should be taxed to bring the list up to $50 billion in goods (see 1806210029). So far, $34 billion worth of imports are being taxed at 25 percent (see 1806150003). The USTR released a schedule of witnesses for the hearings, which will begin July 24 at 9:30 a.m. at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington.

The FDA should “permanently rein in” restrictions on cigars, electronic cigarettes, pipe tobacco and other tobacco products pending implementation, Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb in a May 17 letter (here). Johnson said the FDA’s recent delay of enforcement (see 1705120035) of the May 2016 rule is a “positive first step," but "more must be done.” Some estimates indicate that “costly and time-consuming” applications for federal approval to sell e-cigarette products under the rule could cost manufacturers more than $1 million to complete, Johnson said. “The rule threatens an emerging industry as well as former smokers who have switched to vaping.”