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Governor DeSantis has called the Legislators back to Tallahassee just a few days after they finished their work on the state's budget. He promotes a sweeping homestead tax proposal during a Tampa appearance. I have attached the Proclamation for Special Session F. He has called them in from June 1 to June 3. The proposal would first increase the current homestead exemption from $50,000 to $250,000, then phase in larger exemptions over time. DeSantis said the plan would provid

Share RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (USSTC), a subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO), today announced plans to consolidate certain operations as part of a long-term strategy to modernize its manufacturing footprint and drive operational efficiencies. USSTC will transition manufacturing operations from its Nashville, Tennessee plant to a new facility to be constructed on an existing campus in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Production in Nash

After seven years at the helm of ITG Brands, LLC, and an exceptional career spanning more than three decades across the consumer goods industry, Kim Reed, president and CEO of the company, has announced her retirement. Under Kim's leadership, ITG Brands has embodied a challenger mindset: strengthening its portfolio, growing market share, net revenue and adjusted operating profit year on year, expanding into new categories, and continuing to build a high-performance culture gr

May 21, 2026 Today, FDA posted a programmatic environmental assessment related to the agency’s review of premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) for new tobacco products in the “other” category, which includes nicotine pouches, lozenges, discs, tablets, and gums, as well as dissolvable tobacco products and other nicotine infused products (but specifically excludes smokeless tobacco products such as dip, snuff, snus, and chewing tobacco). As part of the FDA’s review of

Deal strengthens the company’s U.S. oral nicotine portfolio By Diane Adam on May 27, 2026 ITG Brands, a subsidiary of tobacco company Imperial Brands PLC, has acquired Chicago-based smokeless tobacco company Black Buffalo. The deal is initially valued at $150 million, with an additional deferred sum based on performance over three years, ITG said Wednesday. ITG said the deal strengthens its position across the U.S. oral nicotine category and complements its existing zone nic

NEWS. Florida showing out on the national scene!! You may remember Mike Haridopolis as Florida Senate President or currently serving in the US House of Representatives Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. enlisted senior health official Stephanie Haridopolos to serve as an interim surgeon general until that position is filled by a Senate-confirmed nominee. Haridopolos, a family medicine physician who is currently a senior adviser and chief of sta

Agency takes action to combat unauthorized tobacco products resembling candy, breath strips, and cough drops For Immediate Release: May 20, 2026 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it issued warning letters to eight retailers for selling unauthorized tobacco products, including nicotine pouches and dissolvable tobacco products. The warning letters involve unauthorized tobacco products that have labeling, advertising, and/or design features that cause th

The Hershey Company has announced that Brent Cotten, head of global customer & industry affairs, will retire from The Hershey Company June 26, 2026, after 34 years with the company. Cotten, who began his career with Hershey in 1992, has served as a trusted leader and industry ambassador for Hershey, representing the company across major U.S. trade associations, customer events and global industry forums. Over more than three decades, he played a critical role in building stro

CTP Newsroom By Bret Koplow, Ph.D., J.D., Acting Director of the Center for Tobacco Products May 7, 2026 In a rapidly evolving environment like tobacco regulation, the FDA recognizes the need for communication and updates on the agency’s critical work protecting the public health. As the acting director for the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, I am pleased to provide some updates on CTP’s work. Premarket application review is foundational to establishing a well-regulated

This episode of Economic Vitality Unplugged features Ana Melendez, owner of A&E Wholesale of North Florida, discussing how her company supports over 1,200 convenience retailers through flexible distribution, local logistics, and strong relationships with small businesses. She shares insights on running a wholesale operation, navigating industry challenges such as rising fuel costs, leveraging data and AI to improve efficiency, and her vision for future growth and community im

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced its first authorization of fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes intended for adult smokers, a major policy shift that comes after months of appeals to President Donald Trump from the vaping industry. The decision is certain to be opposed by health groups and parent organizations that have long pointed to flavors as the driver behind underage vaping in the U.S. But the federal action comes as teen vaping r

THE FLORIDA SENATE SENATOR BEN ALBRITTON President MEMORANDUM TO: All Senators FROM: Ben Albritton SUBJECT: Update Regarding Special Session D Legislation DATE: April 24, 2026 We are awaiting a communication from the Governor’s Office regarding congressional redistricting. Once received, we will share his submission with you via email. We anticipate President Gaetz will then file the Governor’s map as Senate Bill 8D. As you are aware, actual redistricting legislation does not

President Donald Trump's administration reclassified medical marijuana as a less dangerous drug on Thursday, a move that drew praise from leaders in the cannabis industry. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed orders rescheduling medical marijuana in states where it is legal — including Florida — from Schedule 1, which includes drugs such as heroin, to Schedule III and setting in motion efforts to fully reclassify recreational marijuana in the coming months. The medical

FROM CDA The Hershey Industry Performance Analysis (HIPA) Report delivers the most comprehensive financial benchmarking report in the convenience distribution industry. Thanks to the generous support of The Hershey Company, it is available at no cost to participating CDA distributor members. Participants receive: Industry Benchmarking Report: Financial and operational data with insights on key metrics. Individual Financial Benchmarking Dashboard: An interactive tool to compar

April 20th, 2026 Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Dr. Rand Paul (R-KY) today introduced the bipartisan Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, a bipartisan bill that empowers states and Tribal governments to regulate and ensure the safety of hemp and hemp-derived products, preventing a looming federal crackdown from shutting down a thriving, multi-billion-dollar American industry. The Hemp Safety Enforcement Act is cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuch

Following FDA’s rigorous scientific review, FDA issued a renewal of modified risk granted orders to Philip Morris Products S.A. (PMP S.A.) for two IQOS system holders and chargers and three flavors of HeatSticks products. With this renewal, these five products may be marketed with the following exposure modification claim: AVAILABLE EVIDENCE TO DATE: The IQOS system heats tobacco but does not burn it. This significantly reduces the production of harmful and potentially harmfu

Lawmakers landed at a joint allocation number of $51.98 billion, per a just-released message from Senate President Ben Albritton's Office. The Special Session dates have been set for work on the budget, with conference committees meeting May 12-15, "at which point unresolved issues will bump and Senators can return to their districts," the memo reads. "Senators should plan to return to Tallahassee the week after Memorial Day to vote on the conference report." Sen. Ed Hooper w

Dr. Bret Koplow, Acting Director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), participated in a panel discussion this week at the American Tobacco and Nicotine Forum. Koplow stated that the FDA has decreased the its backlog of pre-market tobacco applications (PMTAs) by approximately 70% over the past year while also eliminating the “acceptance” queue to streamline the review process. He noted that while the FDA has reviewed approximately

On April 10, 2026, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled, “Combating Illicit Substances: DOJ Enforcement of Unauthorized E-Cigarettes.” The report showed large numbers of unauthorized e-cigarette products and devices continue to be for sale in the U.S. As of June 2024, there were over 6,000 e-cigarette products on the market, most of which lack U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization. The report outlines that the Department of

Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Tuesday that Florida is launching a new Public Assistance Fraud Task Force. This multi-agency group aims to strengthen the state’s legal response to fraud in taxpayer-funded benefit programs. The task force will centralize legal guidance and prosecution strategies for cases involving programs like Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, housing assistance, and reemployment benefits. This should help state agencies and law enforcement build stronger