By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
- What: Keller and Heckman has released the agenda for its 10th Annual E-Vapor, Nicotine, and Tobacco Law Symposium, covering PMTAs, enforcement, litigation, manufacturing compliance, international regulation, and hemp/CBD policy.
- Where: The two-day event will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, ahead of the CHAMPS Trade Show.
- When: May 4–5, 2026
Las Vegas will once again be ground zero for regulatory discussions about the nicotine industry.
Keller and Heckman LLP has released the full agenda for its 10th Annual E-Vapor, Nicotine, and Tobacco Law Symposium, scheduled for May 4–5, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and immediately preceding the CHAMPS Trade Show.
The two-day seminar will feature the firm’s attorneys alongside industry executives, scientific experts, and regulatory consultants, focusing on developments affecting manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and retailers of tobacco, nicotine, and CBD/hemp products.
The program opens with a “State of the Industry” session led by Keller and Heckman partner Azim Chowdhury, covering federal and state developments in 2025, updates on premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) and modified risk tobacco product applications (MRTPs), U.S. Food and Drug Administration enforcement actions, developments in the nicotine pouch PMTA pilot program, proposed product standards, and litigation affecting cigars, hookah, and other tobacco products.
Litigation remains a central theme. Eric Gotting, a partner at Keller and Heckman, is scheduled to address FDA marketing denial order (MDO) litigation, state enforcement actions, including New York subpoenas, and challenges to FDA civil money penalties in light of SEC v. Jarkesy. Additional sessions will examine challenges to the PMTA directory and substantial equivalence (SE) report requirements.
Manufacturing and compliance will also take center stage. Sessions will cover U.S. facility setup for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and pouches, proposed Tobacco Product Manufacturing Practice (TPMP) standards, environmental compliance, and inspection readiness. A panel moderated by Chowdhury will address PMTA toxicology and pharmacokinetics for ENDS and oral nicotine products. Chris Allen, CEO of Broughton Nicotine, is slated to discuss FDA expectations for nicotine pouch PMTAs.
Session discussions will cover youth access prevention and product design, featuring Christopher Russell, Ph.D., and Martin Steinbauer of SkyX Group, who will present on the SAVE Youth Access Prevention System, which combines on-device and point-of-sale technology to prevent youth access.
On day two, the focus shifts to marketplace and enforcement dynamics. Tony Abboud, executive director of the Vapor Technology Association (VTA), is scheduled to speak on “Restoring Order to the U.S. Marketplace,” covering VTA’s efforts to reform the PMTA framework. Additional panels will examine nicotine analog regulation, state flavor bans, PMTA directory laws, distribution enforcement under the PACT Act, and Section 337 litigation before the U.S. International Trade Commission.
International developments will also be addressed, including updates on the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) revision, UK regulations, Canada’s Tobacco and Vaping Products Act, China’s e-cigarette management rules, and global enforcement trends. A dedicated session will examine the regulation of cannabinoids, hemp, and CBD under the FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act and the FDA’s current position on CBD in food and dietary supplements.
The symposium will conclude on May 5, following sessions on EU excise tax developments, disposable product restrictions, and cross-border compliance strategies.
Registration remains open.
