Roger Stone hired to lobby for vape company under New York child-marketing lawsuits
Buffalo-based vape distributor Ecto World, accused of illegally targeting youth, has paid Roger Stone over $300,000 to lobby the White House on e-cigarette regulations.
Ecto World, a Buffalo company distributing vape products under the Demand Vape brand, has been sued by New York State and New York City for illegally marketing flavored disposable nicotine items to children and for importing large quantities of contraband. In March, state police seized more than 28,000 pounds of products linked to the firm, and Governor Kathy Hochul announced criminal charges would be pursued. To counter regulatory pressure, Ecto World hired Roger Stone as a lobbyist at the start of the year, paying him at least $300,000 to target the Executive Office of the President on e-cigarette policy.
President Matthew Glauser, also a board member of the Vapor Technology Association, claims Stone’s involvement is intended to reform what he calls a broken regulatory framework. Stone’s lobbying filings acknowledge his past convictions for obstruction, false statements and witness tampering, all of which were pardoned in 2020. The company continues to face investigations by the US International Trade Commission and the Department of Homeland Security over import duties and trade practices.
Why it matters
The story shows how a controversial political figure is being used to influence federal vaping policy for a company accused of endangering children.
In this story
