Juul violated patents owned by an inventor, alleges a federal lawsuit in the United States.
Swissx Labs, a Switzerland based hemp and CBD company, recently sued e-cigarette giant Juul Labs for patent infringement.
The company is now on the warpath, sending cease and desist letters to retailers who sell Juul products, warning that these companies could be caught up in ongoing litigation.
“We don’t want innocent retailers to get swept up in this,” said Rudy Delarenta, a senior vice president of sales and marketing for Swissx Labs, in a press release.
“That’s why we’re giving them 30 days notice to pull Juul’s infringing products. But if they refuse, we’ll do what we have to do.”
According to the same press release, Swissx notes that the lawsuit insinuates that Juul copied the technology invented by Robert Safari in 2012.
Juul acknowledged it was infringing on the patent information government filings in 2018.
The initial legal complaint was filed in the federal district court for the District of Delaware in the United States. Following the trend of other companies, Juul is registered in Delaware for tax purposes.
Juul’s vape cartridges mirror Safari’s design for Swissx, notes the lawsuit.
Since this lawsuit has the potential to reach extreme levels, Swissx now finds the justification to issue stern warnings to retailers that sell the Juul vape products that violate the patent.
The cease and desist letters demand that convenience store chains in the United States remove the products unless they wish to be included as a defendant in the ongoing litigation against the alleged patent infringement.
Recipients of the cease and desist letters include chains like 7-11, Speedway, Casey’s, Cumberland Farms, Quick Stop, AMPM, Wawa, ExtraMile, and other roadside favorites among people across the country.
Also receiving the letter are major tobacco shop chains such as the 800+ store Smoker Friendly chain.
They have 30 days to comply, the press release notes.
Swissx is owned by Alki David, a Greek billionaire and film producer who was accused of sexual battery by several people in 2019.
Hemp Industry Daily reports that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued the patent to Robert Safari in May of 2016.
Safari’s patent includes a system combined with an e-liquid chamber and a vaporization mechanism in a single cartridge component — similar to the Juul design.
Juul Labs has virtually monopolized the closed e-cigarette system market in the United States.
The company is also partially owned by tobacco giant Altria Group.
This is a developing story.
