Attorney General William Tong and Stamford Police confiscated thousands of illegal delta-8 THC cannabis products from three Stamford vape shops. The products, which mimic youth-oriented snacks like Oreos and Cheetos, are unregulated and untested. Legal action is being prepared against the shops for violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Confiscation of illegal THC products and initiation of civil lawsuits under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, which may result in injunctions and penalties against the retailers.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements with cannabis product suppliers, distribution agreements, and customer/retailer contracts to ensure clauses mandate strict compliance with state-specific cannabis regulations (e.g., THC limits, product testing, and packaging rules). Specific clauses to scrutinize include product compliance certifications, representations and warranties regarding legality, marketing restrictions (especially prohibitions on youth-oriented designs), age verification requirements, and termination provisions for illegal sales. Updates may be needed to require suppliers to provide lab test results, prohibit the sale of unregulated analogs like delta-8 THCO, and include audit rights to verify adherence to Connecticut's cannabis and unfair trade practices laws.
Entity
Zaza Smoke Shop 2, Breeze Smokeshop, and Worlds Exotic Smoke Shop
Also known as: Zaza Smoke Shop 2, Breeze Smokeshop, Worlds Exotic Smoke Shop
Industry
Retail$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.