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
$500K
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced settlements with SunRun, Inc., Elevate Solar Solutions, and two salespeople over allegations of deceptive solar sales, including impersonating consumers and locking homeowners into long-term contracts without consent. SunRun must pay $300,000 and provide consumer relief; Elevate and the salespeople face a stated $200,000 penalty, with $100,000 suspended subject to ongoing compliance.
$8.0M
Connecticut announced an $8 million settlement with Mylan over allegations that it used agreements to delay generic EpiPen competitors and took other actions that inflated prices. Mylan also agreed to provide 10,000 free EpiPens; the release states that Mylan denies wrongdoing.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief challenging DHS’s policy and practice of conducting warrantless civil immigration arrests. The press release describes a court challenge, not a privacy enforcement action or monetary penalty.
$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.