From December 5-7, 2022, Keller and Heckman hosted a private conference with the China State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) on the topic of U.S. and global e-cigarette and tobacco product regulation. The event was approved by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and was attended by over 700 officials from STMA and its local
Tobacco
Azim Chowdhury, Neelam Gill, and Josephine Hsu Awarded 2022 “Go-To Thought Leader” Distinction by The National Law Review

Keller and Heckman Partner Azim Chowdhury, Counsel Neelam Gill, and Associate Josephine Hsu received the 2022 “Go-To Thought Leader” award from the National Law Review under the “Biotech, Food and Drug” category.
Azim, Neelam, and Josephine received this distinction for their March 16, 2022 article, FDA Receives Authorization to Regulate Synthetic Nicotine…

California Votes “Yes” on Proposition 31 Banning the Retail Sale Non-Tobacco Flavored Tobacco Products; Keller and Heckman Files Supreme Court Amicus Brief in Case Challenging Los Angeles County Flavor Ban



On November 8, 2022, California voters approved[1] the Referendum on 2020 Law That Would Prohibit the Retail Sale of Certain Flavored Tobacco Products (Proposition 31). The referendum, submitted in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 of Article II of the California Constitution, asked California citizens to vote on whether to uphold a 2020…
Agenda Announced and Super Early-Bird Deadline Extended for Keller and Heckman’s E-Vapor and Tobacco Law Symposium
Keller and Heckman LLP is excited to announce the agenda for our upcoming E-Vapor and Tobacco Law Symposium! Please click here to register and click here to view the agenda.
In addition to the firm’s attorneys, we have several notable experts joining as guest speakers this year, including Derek Yach, the former World Health…
Partner Azim Chowdhury Authors Article on the Flaws of the Tobacco Control Act’s Premarket Authorization Requirement for New Tobacco Products in Filter
Keller and Heckman Partner Azim Chowdhury authored the Filter article, “Fundamental Flaws of Tobacco Control Act—and FDA’s Implementation,” published on November 14, 2022. The article discusses the Tobacco Control Act, passed by Congress in 2009, which gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over tobacco and nicotine products. Azim describes some of the…
Food and Chemicals Unpacked Podcast – Blowing Smoke: FDA’s Evolving Regulation of Tobacco and Nicotine Products
Food and Chemicals Unpacked, a Keller and Heckman LLP podcast, just published its fourth episode, “Blowing Smoke: FDA’s Evolving Regulation of Tobacco and Nicotine Products,” featuring Tobacco and E-Vapor Partner Azim Chowdhury. The episode illuminates the regulatory landscape for tobacco products and reports on current trends in the industry. Azim shares…
Partner Azim Chowdhury to Present at FDLI’s Tobacco and Nicotine Products Regulation and Policy Conference
Keller and Heckman Partner Azim Chowdhury will present at the Food and Drug Law Institute’s (FDLI) Tobacco and Nicotine Products Regulation and Policy Conference, taking place virtually and in Washington, DC on October 20 – 21, 2022. Azim will serve as a panelist on the panel titled, “Novel Products and Future Innovation: How Would New…

Save the Date for Keller and Heckman’s 2023 E-Vapor and Tobacco Law Symposium

Save the date! Keller and Heckman’s Annual E-Vapor and Tobacco Law Symposium is back in person in 2023. Please join us on February 15-16, 2023, for a two-day comprehensive seminar focused on legal and regulatory issues critical to e-vapor, tobacco, and CBD industries.
This year’s program will feature new, timely topics specifically designed to help…
A Closer Look at China’s New E-Cigarette Regulations



With the implementation of the Management Rules of E-cigarettes and the forthcoming effective date for the GB Standard on E-cigarettes (October 1, 2022), China has been regularly updating its e-cigarette regulations. Following up on our recent articles on China’s GB Standard and manufacturer license requirements, below we summarize various e-cigarette regulations recently promulgated by the…

Federal Court Rules That FDA Was Arbitrary and Capricious in Deeming Premium Cigars Subject to the Tobacco Control Act


Since it became effective in 2016, the cigar industry has mounted several challenges to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) “Deeming Rule,” which extended the Agency’s tobacco product authority beyond cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco, to all products that meet the “tobacco product” definition in the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act,…