Roger Stone, a longtime adviser to President Donald Trump, has become a well-paid Washington advocate for Ecto World, a Buffalo, New York, vape distributor under mounting pressure in its home state.
Congressional lobbying disclosures indicate that by June 30, Ecto World — which does business as Demand Vape — had paid Stone at least $300,000, Mother Jones reported.
Here's what to know
According to Mother Jones, the company hired Stone to lobby the Executive Office of the President on the "regulation of e-cigarettes and related products."
Stone is a Trump adviser who was pardoned in 2020 after convictions for lying to Congress and witness tampering.
That federal outreach coincided with escalating action in New York.
In March, New York State Police seized more than 28,000 pounds of illicit vape products linked to Ecto World, and Gov. Kathy Hochul said investigators found the company had been "illegally shipping massive quantities of vape products" throughout the state.
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Civil litigation has followed on multiple fronts. A 2023 lawsuit from New York City alleged that Ecto World, its affiliate Magellan Technology, and executives, including president Matthew Glauser, violated laws related to flavored e-cigarettes.
Separately, New York Attorney General Letitia James accused Ecto World and other companies of illegally distributing flavored disposable nicotine products and "fueling the youth vaping epidemic."
"Contrary to popular belief, we're actually a responsible company," Glauser countered, adding that Stone was hired to "fix the broken regulatory system" surrounding vaping products.
More background
In his lobbying paperwork, Stone checked "yes" on a question asking whether any listed lobbyist had been convicted of crimes such as false statements or witness tampering, and noted that he was pardoned in 2020.
Health officials have long warned that nicotine exposure can harm young people by increasing addiction risk and potentially affecting attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. The lawsuits accuse Ecto World and related firms of selling products that appeal to minors.
Disposable vapes add to the stream of single-use plastics and toxic electronic waste, and when improperly disposed of, their lithium batteries can pose fire hazards in waste systems and exacerbate pollution.
Court filings cited by Mother Jones indicate that Demand Vape generated $389 million in New York sales from 2018 to 2024.
The company and its affiliates have faced other investigations, including a Department of Homeland Security probe that resulted in Magellan being on the hook for $23 million in unpaid duties and penalties.
What's being done?
New York State has seized products and signaled possible criminal charges, while New York State and New York City have both pursued civil lawsuits over flavored vape sales.
Federal scrutiny has also continued.
In September, Mother Jones reported that federal agents carried out nationwide raids targeting Chinese-made vape products.
The outlet also reported that the International Trade Commission opened an investigation into Ecto World, Magellan Technology, and other companies over alleged unfair trading practices.
New York officials argue that the stakes go far beyond one company's business model.
"They're making nicotine seem cool, getting kids hooked, and creating a massive public health crisis in the process," James charged.
Where can I learn more?
Ecto World's legal troubles are playing out against a broader debate over the mess disposable vapes create after they're sold.
Along with questions about marketing and distribution, communities and waste crews are dealing with increased plastic waste, the risk of lithium battery fires, and growing calls for tighter rules.
• In the U.K., waste firms proposed a £5 vape deposit after garbage truck fires kept occurring.
• Researchers found 5 million disposable vapes are discarded weekly, overwhelming recycling systems and streets.
• Consumers blasted touch-screen disposable vapes as another needless source of batteries and e-waste.
All of that underscores why regulators have cast disposable vapes as problems well beyond the realm of a niche retail issue.
The environmental toll is adding to the pressure on companies already under scrutiny, including Ecto World.
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