Vape Gate and today's cannabis product liability market

Black-market vaporizer cartridges, such as those pictured above, were strongly associated with Vape Gate. The incident left the cannabis industry with a black eye, but also proved to carry a silver lining by highlighting the need for proper risk management. (Credit: Northwest Metro Drug Task Force/Minnesota Departments of Public Safety via AP)

It was more than a year ago that stories regarding lung injuries stemming from consumers vaping THC-contain products gripped headlines and vitamin E acetate joined the collective lexicon.

“What we called Vape Gate moved pretty quickly. It started in late August but was over by the end of the year,” Ian Stewart, founder and chair of the national cannabis and hemp law practice at Wilson Elser, explained. “We know now, with very few exceptions, the vape issues were due to black market products.”