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Following a federal lawsuit filed by Republic Brands, distributor HBI International was permanently barred from making certain claims about its rolling paper brand RAW Organic Hemp rolling papers.
The court ruled that HBI had broken the law with its packaging and promotional tactics and made it must stop making or restocking with non-conforming items. A jury had previously determined that HBI had been untruthful about the RAW Foundation and where their products were being produced, as well as claims regarding certain brands they distribute such as Elements, DLX, Skunk, Pay-Pay and Juicy Jays. This injunction means that after May 31st 2023 HBI will have to stop including its “Alcoy stamp” on any of these products.
Now RAW has released a statement addressing concerns about the safety of its products. RAW outlined in the statement its commitment to engaging in dialogue and collaboration with its community to address any concerns that have arisen, and it promised to stop hurtful and untrue rumors about their products' safety.
RAW has stressed the importance of transparency and open communication with the community as the situation unfolds.
The statement begins, "RAW is an underdog success story. With your support, we have risen to be a global brand beloved by discriminating smokers. Thanks to Josh Kesselman's vision, we are now a global leader in rolling papers and smoking innovation."
Independently owned and run by a "tight-knit team," the company is proud of its reputation for quality products and positive standing in the industry.
The message addresses a number of key issues.
RAW Papers: Their Origins
Raw's Organic Hemp rolling paper booklets are made in Benimarfull, a village in the Alicante Province of Spain, using unbleached certified organic hemp milled in the best mills in the South of France.
As soon as the paper rolls reach Spain, they undergo a special process that makes them into sheets of RAW for the booklet, or they are finished and rolled into cones.
The philanthropic efforts of Raw
Moreover, RAW has provided information about its philanthropic efforts, now known as RAW Giving, which the company states has donated more than $2.5 million in direct cash contributions, as well as $186,174 in in-kind contributions to a variety of charities.
RAW has updated how it communicates about its giving efforts and clarified that it isn't a charity, but supports many charities and other causes central to its values.
A lawsuit was filed
In addition to the lawsuit that resulted in RAW's packaging and marketing messages being updated, RAW also received some good news.
For willful infringement of RAW trade dress by a competitor, a jury awarded RAW $979,620, and for willful infringement of RAW copyright, the jury awarded RAW $40,000. The company has conceded to an Agreed Order requiring changes to some of its packaging and marketing messages, but assures customers that all RAW products continue to meet high quality standards.
Overall, RAW's statement underscores the company's commitment to quality and transparency, as well as its ongoing efforts to innovate and improve their products.
Watch this space for more updates on this fascinating story.
