Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2022 Virginia Business Political Roundtable
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Power Up Virginia 500
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2023

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • Issues
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • Issues Archive
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2022 Virginia Business Political Roundtable
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Power Up Virginia 500
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2023

Home News Altria can’t sell IQOS device in U.S. after ITC ruling stands

Altria can’t sell IQOS device in U.S. after ITC ruling stands

Biden administration did not interfere

Published November 30, 2021 by Katherine Schulte

The IQOS device heats paper-wrapped tobacco sticks to generate an aerosol containing nicotine. AP Photo

Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc. and former subsidiary New York-based Philip Morris International Inc. can no longer sell the IQOS tobacco heating device in the U.S. after the Biden administration’s 60-day administrative review process concluded Monday. 

On Sept. 29, the U.S. International Trade Commission determined that the IQOS device violated two of rival R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.’s patents, following its investigation in response to R.J. Reynolds’ submitted complaint. The ITC decision ruled that Altria and Philip Morris International would be prohibited from importing the heating articles and components, and it issued a cease and desist. The Biden administration did not change this decision after its review.

“While this decision will cause near-term disruption, we continue to see a large opportunity for IQOS and other FDA authorized smoke-free products in the U.S. over the coming years,” Philip Morris said in a statement.

The ITC began its investigation on May 15, 2020, after R.J. Reynolds, a subsidiary of British American Tobacco PLC, filed a complaint.

Altria and Philip Morris International began selling IQOS devices in the U.S. in October 2019 out of a mall storefront in Atlanta, later expanding its offerings into the Richmond and Charlotte, North Carolina, markets. Philip Morris International, which Altria spun off in 2008, introduced IQOS overseas in 2014, where it gained about 8 million users by 2019.

“We’ve been focused on our contingency plans surrounding sales and distribution and have been in communication with PMI on their domestic manufacturing plans,” Altria spokesperson David Sutton said in a statement. “We’re communicating with IQOS consumers regarding removal of IQOS and HeatSticks from the market, why this is occurring and that we’re working on contingency plans to make these products available again at retail.”

The device heats tobacco without burning it, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had allowed Philip Morris to market an early version as a “modified risk” product.

R.J. Reynolds has filed two claims with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office over the IQOS system. The agency is expected to rule on the claims in 2022.

Subscribe to Virginia Business. Get our daily e-newsletter.

Related Stories

Virginia Business logo

Altria names two new board members

Marjorie M. Connelly and R. Matt Davis joined the board

Virginia Business logo

Two Va. lawyers plead guilty in $200M extortion plot

Case linked to $10B Bayer Roundup settlement

Dominion Energy’s Tom Farrell to retire from Altria board

Farrell had served as Altria's board chairman since April 2020

Trending

13th annual Best Places to Work

Making strides

It’s back!

After the crisis

Fort Monroe development moving forward

Sponsored Stories

Working at Pinnacle Financial Partners

What Logistics issues will have the biggest impact on you in 2023?

In the New Year, Aim for Better Cybersecurity

4 innovative ways to create capacity

WHERE IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHEN YOU NEED IT?

P.A.I.N.T. Your Financial Mountain

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Blazing trails in the digital landscape

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

13th annual Best Places to Work

Making strides

It’s back!

After the crisis

Fort Monroe development moving forward

Sponsored Stories

Working at Pinnacle Financial Partners

What Logistics issues will have the biggest impact on you in 2023?

In the New Year, Aim for Better Cybersecurity

4 innovative ways to create capacity

WHERE IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHEN YOU NEED IT?

P.A.I.N.T. Your Financial Mountain

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Blazing trails in the digital landscape

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2023 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk