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Cannatech Today reports
In late August, Republic Tobacco was denied a motion for a new trial against RAW Rolling Papers (BBK/HBI), the independent, global rolling paper brand. After a ruling in January 2023, which found RAW violated the Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act through its rolling paper packaging and promotional activities, Republic requested a retrial to determine if RAW also violated the federal Lanham Act.
Republic claimed RAW willfully committed false advertising under the federal Lanham Act, an allegation which the jury refuted during the first trial. The Court ruled there was no basis for revisiting Republic’s Lanham Act lawsuit against RAW.
Republic felt jurors in the original case were not given an adequate definition of a “consumer” and requested a retrial to prove RAW “actually misled a consumer,” meaning the end-user of the product rather than just its wholesale distribution partners. The court ruled the jurors had adequate information to make their decision during the original trial and a retrial would not be necessary.
For more information, see the press release from RAW (HBI/BBK) below.
June 6, 2023 – RAW (BBK/HBI), the rolling papers and smoking innovations brand issued a statement on June 6, 2023, about the final resolution of the seven-year court battle with Republic Tobacco which had brought a series of lawsuits against HBI International, the company that owns the RAW brand.
The judge rejected Republic’s monetary demands, saying in an April 2023 decision, “Republic requests the disgorgement of every cent of profit from HBI’s RAW brand during that time period… This extraordinary request, however, is not supported by adequate evidence, nor is it appropriate considering the other factors of the case.”
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Court Denies New Lawsuit Against RAW, 7-Year Court Battle Over
