Attorney General William Tong joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general to urge Congress to enact legislation allowing trademark holders to hold accountable sellers of unregulated cannabis copycat products that resemble popular snacks and cause accidental THC ingestion in children. The coalition highlighted the public health risk and called for federal action to stop the spread of these dangerous products.
In-house legal teams should review vendor, distribution, and licensing agreements with manufacturers or distributors of cannabis edibles and snack food brand licensors. Focus on intellectual property indemnification clauses to ensure protection against trade dress infringement and counterfeit claims; product compliance warranties requiring adherence to child-safety packaging and THC labeling laws; recall and notification procedures; and insurance requirements covering product liability. Amendments may be needed to mandate strict compliance with state cannabis regulations, enforce child-resistant packaging standards, include audit rights for safety verification, and allow termination for violations involving deceptive copycat products.
Entity
Malicious actors marketing illicit copycat THC edibles
Also known as: Illicit THC Edible Sellers
Industry
OtherOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2022-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-urges-congress-to-protect-children-from-cannabis-copycat-products
thc cannabis letter final.pdf?rev=261d07c06c3d4a88b1092f4581
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2022/thc-cannabis-letter-final.pdf?rev=261d07c06c3d4a88b1092f4581b115ef&hash=84F9AA85405FE6C07CD52A3985D0BF9D
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
$625K
Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.
$2.6M
Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.
Connecticut joined a coalition of state attorneys general filing a notice in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy proceedings, raising concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and the sensitive information it holds. The states seek protections for children and consumers if the company’s business or assets are sold or transferred; the filing does not impose a fine or other remedy.
Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Counsel Claire Coleman petitioned PURA to review how Connecticut public utilities use artificial intelligence, citing potential data privacy and cybersecurity risks, algorithmic errors, and misleading outputs. The petition asks PURA to examine utility AI systems, safeguards, vendors, and data security practices; it does not report a finding of violation or an imposed penalty.
$2.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a settlement with RZ Smoke, Inc. over allegations that it distributed and sold high-potency cannabis products without a state license. The stipulated judgment is $2 million, with $375,000 payable to the State and $1.6 million suspended to ensure compliance; the company is barred from specified cannabis activities in Connecticut unless licensed.
$13.7M
Connecticut joined a coalition of states and the federal government in settling allegations that Takeda paid healthcare providers speaker honoraria and provided meals to induce prescriptions of Trintellix, leading to allegedly false claims to government healthcare programs. Takeda agreed to pay $13,670,921 plus accrued interest, with portions allocated to federal and state programs.