News

PHAI Takes Action Against Puff Bar for Violating Massachusetts’ Ban on Flavored e-Cigarettes

Center For Public Health Litigation, Dangers Of E Cigarettes, News, Press Release /

CONTACTS: Mark Gottlieb                                                             Meredith Lever(617) 216-0779                                                            (617) 373-8066mark@phai.org                                          meredith@phai.org  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Puff Bar Charged With Violating Massachusetts’ Ban on Flavored e-CigarettesIn direct violation of state law, Puff Bar sells flavored, disposable e-cigarettes that appeal to teens BOSTON, MA (June 11, 2020) – Today, the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University School of Law […]

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PHAI’s Gottlieb Pens Commentary: “How The Opioid Settlement Could Truly Help The Addicted”

News /

On July 9, 2019. the WBUR (Boston NPR affiliate) opinion blog, Cognoscenti, published an opinion piece penned by PHAI\’s executive director seeking to leverage any forthcoming settlement of the the more than 2,000 lawsuits pending against opioid pain manufacturers, their distributors, and their retailers to create an independent foundation to help coordinate a national response

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2018 Altria Group Annual Shareholders Meeting – A Time of Transitions

Leave a Comment / News, Uncategorized /

By Edward L. Sweda, Jr., Senior Attorney It became clear in the months leading up to the May 17th Annual Shareholders Meeting for Altria Group that 2018 would be a time for change for the company.  In January, Chairman, CEO and President Martin Barrington publicly announced his intention to retire due to the approach of

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FDA Reboots Tobacco Regulation with Harm Reduction

News, Tobacco /

On Friday, July 28, 2017, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb unveiled a revamped approach to tobacco product regulation in an announcement that surprised tobacco companies, investors, and the public health community in equal measure.  The goal, as articulated by Gottlieb, will be to regulate products so as to encourage migrating existing consumers from

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Snowflakes Are Found in 84 Degree Richmond: The 2017 Altria Group Annual Shareholders Meeting

News, Tobacco, Tobacco Litigation /

By Edward L. Sweda, Jr., PHAI Senior Attorney As I approached the Greater Richmond Convention Center on the partly cloudy morning of Thursday, May 18, 2017, thoughts of sub-freezing temperatures and snowstorms never entered my mind.  But, before the morning gave way to the afternoon, I realized that I had just seen dozens of snowflakes. As

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Dec. Issue of Atlantic: PHAI’s Daynard and Friedman Comment in Powerful Gambling Addiction Article

News /

In a powerful long-form article by by John Rosengren covers the impact of gambling addiction and the predatory casino industry.  The article, entitled “How Casinos Enable Gambling Addicts,” details the ways that electronic gambling machines, like slot machines, along with outrageously predatory tactics used by casinos to bait problem gamblers, combine to destroy the lives

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PHAI’s Gottlieb Comments on FDA Regulations’ Effect on Vaping Industry on All Things Considered

News, Tobacco /

On August 8, 2016, new regulations by the FDA went into effect that have a profound impact on a major segment of the electronic cigarette industry:  vape shops.  The shops that mix flavors for vaping products are now considered to be manufacturers and subject to the same requirements as manufactures owned by the companies that

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Boston Globe Published Gottlieb Op-Ed on Legality of Daily Fantasy Sports in Massachusetts

News, Predatory Gambling​, Publications /

The Boston Globe has published an opinion piece by PHAI\’s executive director, Mark A. Gottlieb, which summarizes the organization’s legal research concluding that paid Daily Fantasy Sports games are illegal under Massachusetts law. The piece, entitled, Fantasy Sports Gambling is Illegal Under State Law explains the law and several reasons why it is important to enforce it.

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PHAI Finds Online Fantasy Sports Gambling Operators in “Clear” Violation of Massachusetts Law

News, Predatory Gambling​, Press Release /

A review by a prominent public interest law organization based in Boston revealed that online sports gambling operators like DraftKings are in “clear” violation of Massachusetts law. The findings were included in an October 16th legal memo to Attorney General Maura Healey’s office that was prepared by the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University.

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Stop & Shop Responds to PHAI’s Demands to Prevent Sales of Scratch Tickets to Kids

Legal Filings, News, Predatory Gambling​, Press Release /

n 2014 and 2015, the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) conducted testing to determine whether kids could purchase lottery tickets from the vending machines located in a number of area supermarkets.  At markets in Cambridge, Somerville, and Arlington, Massachusetts, a teenage tester was easily able to purchase lottery tickets in every attempt. Massachusetts law expressly

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