Tobacco

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By Seth A. Mailhot

As part of Sheppard Mullin’s monthly blog on tobacco retailer issues, we are taking a look at the possible future of retailer-operated rolling machines. On March 8, 2012, the U.S. Senate adopted an amendment to the federal highway bill “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act” (MAP–21) that included a provision impacting retail establishments that offer rolling machines for use to customers. The provision would have changed the definition of “manufacturer of tobacco products” in section 5702(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to “include any person who for commercial purposes makes available for consumer use . . . a machine capable of making cigarettes, cigars, or other tobacco products.”[1]Continue Reading Congress Contemplates Action on Rolling Machines

By Seth A. Mailhot

Welcome to the next monthly installment in FDA’s enforcement of regulated tobacco products. This month we will examine some of the differences found between different states in FDA enforcement actions against retailers.

Sheppard Mullin has been closely monitoring FDA’s tobacco enforcement actions to better serve its clients. From the beginning of FDA’s program inspecting tobacco retailers, a trend emerged suggesting that there are significant differences in enforcement between retailers depending on the state in which the inspection was conducted. This raises concerns about not only in how each state conducts its retail inspection program, but the level of oversight applied by the Center for Tobacco Control over the program as a whole.Continue Reading State-by-State Differences in Retailer Enforcement

Welcome to the first monthly update on FDA’s enforcement over regulated tobacco products. This update will examine trends in Warning Letters, and cover some unique Warning Letters and enforcement actions that have occurred in the previous month. As the first post regarding tobacco products, we begin with an alert regarding FDA’s issuance of civil money penalty complaints. The update also provides a summary of tobacco related Warning Letters issued by the FDA to date.[1]Continue Reading Update on Tobacco Warning Letters