Altria has announced that heated tobacco product (HTP) IQOS will be removed from the U.S. market Nov. 29, 2021.
The decision follows an order by the federal International Trade Commission in a patent dispute initiated by British American Tobacco (BAT) and its U.S. subsidiary Reynolds American (RAI).
The ITC ordered an end to IQOS imports within 60 days. Altria is appealing the court decision, but that process could take a year or more.
Altria announced the decision on its website: “Due to an order issued in an ongoing patent dispute, we have to remove IQOS® Devices and HeatSticks® from all stores as of November 29 and stop advertising these products online and on social media in the event we do not prevail while the order is under review. We’re working hard on a solution to make these products available again as soon as possible.”
Jim McDonald – Vaping360 – 2021-10-22.
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