Vaping News · [db:关健字]

FBI Gathering Evidence on Wrongdoing Related to Indiana’s Vaping Law

H cink2021-12-21Views 1006Source 未知

The FBI is investigating whether any misconduct was involved in the creation of Indiana’s controversial vaping law. Agents have interviewed at least two lawmakers and a manufacturer of e-liquid used in vaping devices. They asked whether anyone may have im

<p>Boots, a Republican from Crawfordsville who had also voiced concerns about the legislation, said he was unaware of any lawmaker who financially benefited from it, but he understood why the FBI was asking questions.</p> <p>The law effectively gave a small number of e-liquid manufacturers control of the Indiana market, shutting out dozens of other businesses already operating in the state. Lawmakers passed the measure in 2015 and amended it this year.</p> <p>The FBI also interviewed Evan McMahon, an Indiana e-liquid manufacturer and head of Status.net, a consumer and industry group opposed to the law.</p> <p>"They didn’t say who they were investigating, but they said they were looking into antitrust issues and corruption," McMahon said.</p> <p>He said agents wanted to know which lawmakers and lobbyists were the "cheerleaders" for the legislation.</p> <p>FBI agent Wendy Osborne declined to comment, saying the agency would neither confirm nor deny an investigation.</p> <p>The new rules require that e-liquid sold in Indiana be certified by a security company by June 30. But because of how the law was written, only one security company in the country was qualified to do the work — a Lafayette-based company owned by Mulhaupt.</p> <p>That company, meanwhile, turned many applicants away and approved only six producers.</p> <p>Mike Gibson, co-owner of Mulhaupt’s company, did not immediately respond to messages from IndyStar.</p> <p>A seventh manufacturer was granted a permit after a federal judge ruled in its favor on Friday.</p> <p>U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young found that Florida-based e-liquid manufacturer GoodCat could likely succeed in its claim that the security requirement violated the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause, which implicitly prohibits states from enacting laws that excessively burden interstate commerce.</p> <p>Young said the new law "effectively authorizes private entities to engage in economic protectionism," finding that "the burden on interstate commerce clearly exceeds any purported local benefit."</p> <p>Attorney General Greg Zoeller, whose office defended the law, emphasized that Young’s ruling applied only to GoodCat.</p> <p>"The state believes decisions about how to regulate businesses that manufacture chemicals used in vaping devices should be made by the people’s elected representatives in the legislature — and if the current regulations are found to be insufficient, then lawmakers should consider amending the law in the next session," Zoeller said in a statement. "From a public health standpoint, we believe Indiana should retain the ability to regulate these chemicals and devices within its borders."</p> <p>State Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, the main lawmaker behind the amendments approved this year, said he had not been contacted by the FBI.</p> <p>"I was not involved in any of that, and I don’t expect that I will be," he said. "I’m a little shocked. I know nothing about it. It’s kind of surprising to me. Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything there. I don’t know what it is."</p> <p>When asked who drafted the amendment language, he referred IndyStar to Sen. Ed Charbonneau, a Republican from Middlebury who led the charge on the original 2015 legislation.</p> <p>Charbonneau did not immediately respond to a message from IndyStar reporters.</p> <p>State Sen. Vaneta Becker, an Evansville Republican who ultimately opposed the vaping law, confirmed that she was interviewed by the FBI. She said she was asked about the legislative process.</p> <p>"I said I can’t speak to anyone’s motives because I don’t know," Becker said, recalling the meeting.</p> <p>A major force behind the legislation was Zac Laikin, who, through his Indiana Vapor Co., hired four high-profile lobbyists to promote the law. His company did not receive a manufacturing license, but his newly created Indiana Vapor Association said several of the few approved companies are now members. #p#Page Title#e#</p> <p>Laikin did not immediately respond to messages from IndyStar reporters.</p> <p>Alting said he plans to push for changes to the law when the legislature reconvenes in January.</p> <p>"Everything was very transparent and open," he said. "We don’t always hit home runs, and this certainly wasn’t a home run. Businesses had to shut down. That was never the intention of the amendment."</p></div> <div class="tags-row"><b>Tags:</b><a href="/en/search/db.html">[db:关健字]</a></div> <div class="share"><span>Share this article:</span><a href="#" title="WeChat">W</a><a href="#" title="Weibo">WB</a><a href="#" title="QQ">Q</a><span class="copy-link" onclick="navigator.clipboard&&navigator.clipboard.writeText(location.href)">Copy Link</span></div> <div class="author-card"><div class="avatar">H</div><div><strong>HNB Editorial Team</strong><p>HNB Home focuses on heated tobacco and vaping industry coverage, including product reviews, brand information, and global market updates.</p></div></div> <nav class="prev-next"> <a class="pn-card prev" href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/202112215969.html"><small>← Previous</small><strong>Which Refillable Pod Vape Is Best?</strong></a> <a class="pn-card next" href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/202112215971.html"><small>Next →</small><strong>UK Peer Says Brexit Should Be Used to Promote Vaping and Save Smokers’ Lives</strong></a> </nav> <section class="related"><h2>Related Articles</h2><div class="related-grid"><a class="rel-card" href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/2026051214610.html"><img src="https://www.hnbzzp.com/d/file/efpub/2026/05-12/59a59d82fc36798deb7a87b32cf1df28.jpg" alt="Germany Plans to Ban Disposable E-Cigarettes"><div class="rb"><span>Vaping News</span><h4>Germany Plans to Ban Disposable E-Cigarettes</h4><div class="date">2026-05-12</div></div></a><a class="rel-card" href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/2026041614501.html"><img src="https://www.hnbzzp.com/uploads/allimg/260416/1-2604162351180-L.jpg" alt="Ahead of a Nationwide Ban, Hundreds of Russian Retailers Voluntarily Stop Selling Vapes"><div class="rb"><span>Vaping News</span><h4>Ahead of a Nationwide Ban, Hundreds of Russian Retailers Voluntarily Stop Selling Vapes</h4><div class="date">2026-04-16</div></div></a><a class="rel-card" href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/2026040814500.html"><img src="https://www.hnbzzp.com/uploads/allimg/260408/1-26040QS2070-L.jpg" alt="Illegal Vape Brands Try to Evade FDA Scrutiny by Posing as “Made in the USA”"><div class="rb"><span>Vaping News</span><h4>Illegal Vape Brands Try to Evade FDA Scrutiny by Posing as “Made in the USA”</h4><div class="date">2026-04-08</div></div></a></div></section> </article> <aside> <div class="panel"><h3>Contents</h3><ul class="toc" id="toc"></ul></div> <div class="panel"><h3>Popular in This Category</h3><ol class="rank"><li><b>1</b><a href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/20200909551.html">How to Identify Fake RELX Pods</a></li><li><b>2</b><a href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/20190905532.html">Japanese Scholars Report a Surge in E-Cigarette Research</a></li><li><b>3</b><a href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/20190911539.html">41-Year-Old Shen Detained After Vaping on a Plane</a></li><li><b>4</b><a href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/20190612440.html">FDA and FTC Crack Down on E-Liquid Companies</a></li><li><b>5</b><a href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/20190701448.html">Why Huaqiangbei E-Cigarette Counters Withdrew</a></li><li><b>6</b><a href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/20190917543.html">Middle East Vape Market After Trump Ban</a></li></ol></div> <div class="panel cta"><h3>Subscribe to Updates</h3><p>Get the latest heated tobacco policy and product news first.</p><a class="btn" href="/en/wuhuayanzixun/list_447_1.html">View Category →</a></div> </aside> </div></main> <footer class="footer"><div class="wrap"><div class="footer-grid"><div><h3>HNB Home</h3><p>A professional heated tobacco and vaping news platform covering product reviews, brand guides, policy, markets, and FAQs.</p></div><div><h4>Content</h4><a href="/en/IQOSnews/list_1_1.html">Heated Tobacco News</a><a href="/en/wuhua/list_447_1.html">Vaping News</a><a href="/en/yandan/list_2_1.html">Stick Reviews</a></div><div><h4>Brands</h4><a href="/en/DZYbrand/list_6_1.html">Brand Library</a><a href="/en/guonei/list_7_1.html">Domestic Brands</a><a href="/en/guowai/list_8_1.html">International Brands</a></div><div><h4>Cooperation</h4><a href="#">Submit News</a><a href="#">Advertising</a><a href="#">Contact Us</a></div></div><div class="copy">Copyright © HNB Home · EmpireCMS Article Page</div></div></footer> <script> const bar=document.getElementById('progress'); 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