Trade agency to look into cannabis vape firms after CCell patent complaint

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The International Trade Commission has begun an investigation based on a trademark- and patent-infringement complaint from Smoore Technology, the parent company of CCell, which produces the majority of ceramic vape cartridges for the U.S. cannabis industry.

The complaint by Shenzhen, China-based Smoore seeks to stop imports of marijuana vaping products sold or made by 38 companies, Bloomberg reported.

The company claims that other cannabis vape businesses are copying its four patented inventions for vape hardware and passing them off as CCell vaping products.

Products named in the complaint are manufactured in Canada, China and Switzerland.

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Law360 reported that Smoore is asking the ITC to issue a permanent cease-and-desist order as well as a limited exclusion order to create a safe supply chain for vape products.

Smoore alleges that the companies are violating Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930.

The full list of the companies named in the complaint is available in the court filing.