U.S. ITC Rules Cannabis Company AVD Did Not Infringe Smoore Patent

Today, on April 28, news from foreign media reports that after a year-long patent infringement case filed by Chinese e-cigarette manufacturer Smoore Technology Co., Ltd., the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled on Monday in favor of U.S. cannabis vapor product manufacturer Advanced Vapor Devices (AVD).

The commission confirmed a ruling made by an administrative law judge in February 2023 that AVD did not infringe on Smoore's CCELL coil patent. According to the ruling, AVD's pods, components, or products were not in violation.

"Today is a huge victory for the U.S. cannabis e-cigarette industry," said AVD co-founder and CEO Alex Kwon in a press release. "AVD's disruptive technology, reliability, and excellent service will enable us to uphold our rights and innovate for the benefit of our customers."

"We thank the International Trade Commission for exposing CCELL's bullying behavior towards American companies," said AVD COO Michael Brosgart. "AVD took on the burden of this lawsuit because we are committed to our industry and believe consumers deserve the highest quality products. We can't wait to share our upcoming innovations."

Among nearly 7 million pre-market tobacco product applications (PMTAs), only 23 e-cigarette products have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Most of the approved products are produced by Smoore International Holdings through its subsidiary Smoore Technology, which manufactures Njoy Ace, Njoy Daily, Logic Power, and Logic Pro devices.

Cannabis e-cigarette products are not federally regulated.