On February 15, an administrative law judge dismissed a complaint issued from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against Juul and Altria, which alleged the companies had violated antitrust laws. As a result, Altria, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, can keep its 35 percent stake in the e-cigarette company. The decision is preliminary, however, and the FTC can appeal through a vote by its commissioners.

The news, perhaps overshadowed by the Senate’s confirmation of Dr. Robert Califf as the next head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the same day, has major implications for vaping in the United States, even if experts are divided over what those are.