Issues

Consumer Protection:

“Reduced Risk Cigarettes

As more of the history of the tobacco industry’s lying about the addictive qualities of its products and its marketing to kids has come into the public consciousness, some companies have been trying to bring to the market so-called safer or “reduced risk” products. There has been much concern in the public health community about these

developments.

Our office took the lead against R.J. Reynolds and its Eclipse reduced risk cigarettes, alleging that RJR lacked enough scientific research to establish and advertise that Eclipse cigarettes do in fact present less risk to smokers than traditional cigarettes. After a five week trial in a Vermont state court, we won a resounding victory in the liability phase of the case.

-MORE On Reduced Risk Cigarettes

We now move to the remedies phase in what will continue to be developments closely watched by various of the states and public health entities. Although a small state and a relatively small Attorney General’s Office, we continue to play a significant role in various consumer protection and environmental protection matters.

Stay tuned for more in the Eclipse case.

Consumer Assistance Program

Important Cases

Campaign Finance Law VPR 1/25/2010

Cruelty Charges Filed for Calf Abuse 6/4/2010

Clean Cars , Vt Digger 4/1/2010

Reynolds Loses Cigarette Case WSJ 3/11/10

Vermont Attorney General, William Sorrell

Criminal Justice:

Child Pornography

A current major emphasis is on trafficking in child pornography, particularly in the online world. It was several years ago that my office successfully urged the Legislature to make the knowing possession of child pornography a violation of our criminal law.

We now seem to be seeing an epidemic of this behavior, all particularly disturbing because of the studies reflecting the substantial numbers of possessors of child porn who have or are molesting a child or children.

I have travelled out -of- state repeatedly to meet with other AGs to try to coordinate our enforcement efforts. My Criminal Division Chief spent a week in Florida receiving specialized training. And early this year I helped arrange a week long training of law enforcement from around the state in computer operations to assist the investigation of online trafficking in child pornography.

Our coordinated efforts have already resulted in a number of charged cases and more are being targeted with likely charges to be filed in the next few months.

Website created by Got-Clicks.com

Healthier Vermonters - Obesity

In line with earlier initiatives on topics like End of Life Issues and Lead in Consumer Products and the Environment we are currently engaged in an initiative on Obesity and Overweight issues :

-MORE On Obesity Initiative

The importance of this issue is underscored when considering that in Vermont and nationally, the illness and premature deaths associated with obesity are approaching overtaking tobacco as the greatest avoidable public health problem we face:

-MORE

Michele Obama has recognized the disturbing trends and the White House recently issued a Report on Obesity

In February, 2010, we invited stakeholders ranging from public health officials to educators to Vermont farmers to the Retail Grocers Association to the soft drink beverage industry to come together and discuss obesity-related problems and what we might consider doing in Vermont to improve the situation. We expect the group to propose recommendations and then a report to be prepared for public release in late September or early October.

Of all that we do in the AGO, I probably hear more positive feedback from Vermonters about our Consumer Assistance Program (CAP), operated jointly with and on the campus of the University of Vermont. Each year we hear from thousands of Vermonters with their questions and complaints about everything from used car sales to charitable solicitations to telemarketers to apparent home repair scams.

Under the able supervision of AAG Sandi Everitt, CAP is trying to provide more helpful information to consumers in quicker and more inexpensive ways by communicating online and through various social media mechanisms. And by its multi-language outreach efforts, CAP is trying to be of greater assistance to the increasingly diverse populations of Chittenden and other counties in the state.

-MORE on Consumer Assistance Program

I will continue to post information about other Office initiatives and efforts during the coming months.