COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	Note 13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES *Legal Proceedings* There were two lawsuits in connection with alleged claimed battery defects for an electronic cigarette device. One has been dismissed by the court wherein the plaintiff settled with the Company’s insurance carrier with no economic impact to the Company. In the second lawsuit, as of December 31, 2023, the Company had reached an arrangement with the plaintiff to resolve the matter, limiting potential exposure to $1.5 million which was reflected in accounts payable and accrued expenses, representing management’s estimate of the probable settlement amount based on the current status of discussions. This arrangement was formalized by a signed agreement on July 1, 2024 and the Company has accrued $1.5 million at June 30, 2024, which was reflected in accounts payable and accrued expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. On November 30, 2020, the Company filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Philip Morris USA, Inc., and Philip Morris Products S.A. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The lawsuit alleges infringement on HCMC-owned patent(s) by the Philip Morris product known and marketed as “IQOS®”. Philip Morris claims that it is currently approaching 14 million users of its IQOS® product and has reportedly invested over $3 billion in their smokeless tobacco products. On December 3, 2021, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia effectively dismissed HCMC’s patent infringement action against Philip Morris USA, Inc., and Philip Morris Products S.A. On December 14, 2021, the Company filed an appeal of the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia’s dismissal of the Company’s patent infringement action against Philip Morris USA, Inc., and Philip Morris Products S.A. On December 31, 2021, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia effectively dismissed HCMC’s patent infringement action against Philip Morris USA, Inc. and Philip Morris Products S.A. In connection with such dismissal, the defendants sought to recover attorney’s fees from the Plaintiff. On February 22, 2022, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia granted the defendant’s an award of approximately $575,000 in attorneys’ fees to be paid by the Company. The Company fully provisioned this amount as of December 31, 2021. HCMC appealed this ruling on June 22, 2022. On April 12, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favor of HCMC on two separate appeals it had filed in its patent infringement action against Philip Morris USA, Inc. and Philip Morris Products S.A. pending in the district court for the Northern District of Georgia. In the first appeal, HCMC appealed the ruling of the District Court dismissing HCMC’s patent infringement action and denying HCMC’s motion to amend its pleading. In the second appeal, HCMC appealed the District Court’s award of attorneys’ fees to Philip Morris. In its decisions, the Federal Circuit ruled for HCMC by reversing both of those decisions and remanded the case back to the District Court for further proceedings. As a result of the ruling, the Company reversed the $575,000, which was previously fully provisioned, during the three months ended March 31, 2023. On July 7, 2023, the Company entered into a patent licensing agreement for one of its patents in the vape segment. The Company as the licensor, grants to licensee during the term a non-exclusive right and license under the Licensed Patents to make, use, offer to sell, sell, and import licensed products in the territory of the United States of America. The licensee will pay to the licensor a royalty based on net sales of all licensed products in the territory during the term of the agreement. Either party can cancel the agreement with 60-days written notice. The Company is still in the process of building this operation, and no product sales or no royalties earned as of the date of this filing. On September 26, 2023, HCMC filed a patent infringement lawsuit against R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company (“RJR”) in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina in connection with HCMC’s assertions that RJR’s Vuse electronic cigarette infringes one of HCMC’s patents. From time to time the Company is involved in legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business. We believe that there is no other litigation pending that is likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations as of June 30, 2024. With respect to legal costs, we record such costs as incurred.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Note 13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Legal Proceedings

There were two lawsuits in connection with alleged claimed battery defects for an electronic cigarette device. One has been dismissed by the court wherein the plaintiff settled with the Company’s insurance carrier with no economic impact to the Company. In the second lawsuit, as of December 31, 2023, the Company had reached an arrangement with the plaintiff to resolve the matter, limiting potential exposure to $1.5 million which was reflected in accounts payable and accrued expenses, representing management’s estimate of the probable settlement amount based on the current status of discussions. This arrangement was formalized by a signed agreement on July 1, 2024 and the Company has accrued $1.5 million at June 30, 2024, which was reflected in accounts payable and accrued expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

On November 30, 2020, the Company filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Philip Morris USA, Inc., and Philip Morris Products S.A. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The lawsuit alleges infringement on HCMC-owned patent(s) by the Philip Morris product known and marketed as “IQOS®”. Philip Morris claims that it is currently approaching 14 million users of its IQOS® product and has reportedly invested over $3 billion in their smokeless tobacco products. On December 3, 2021, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia effectively dismissed HCMC’s patent infringement action against Philip Morris USA, Inc., and Philip Morris Products S.A. On December 14, 2021, the Company filed an appeal of the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia’s dismissal of the Company’s patent infringement action against Philip Morris USA, Inc., and Philip Morris Products S.A.

On December 31, 2021, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia effectively dismissed HCMC’s patent infringement action against Philip Morris USA, Inc. and Philip Morris Products S.A. In connection with such dismissal, the defendants sought to recover attorney’s fees from the Plaintiff. On February 22, 2022, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia granted the defendant’s an award of approximately $575,000 in attorneys’ fees to be paid by the Company. The Company fully provisioned this amount as of December 31, 2021. HCMC appealed this ruling on June 22, 2022.

On April 12, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favor of HCMC on two separate appeals it had filed in its patent infringement action against Philip Morris USA, Inc. and Philip Morris Products S.A. pending in the district court for the Northern District of Georgia.

In the first appeal, HCMC appealed the ruling of the District Court dismissing HCMC’s patent infringement action and denying HCMC’s motion to amend its pleading. In the second appeal, HCMC appealed the District Court’s award of attorneys’ fees to Philip Morris. In its decisions, the Federal Circuit ruled for HCMC by reversing both of those decisions and remanded the case back to the District Court for further proceedings. As a result of the ruling, the Company reversed the $575,000, which was previously fully provisioned, during the three months ended March 31, 2023.

On July 7, 2023, the Company entered into a patent licensing agreement for one of its patents in the vape segment. The Company as the licensor, grants to licensee during the term a non-exclusive right and license under the Licensed Patents to make, use, offer to sell, sell, and import licensed products in the territory of the United States of America. The licensee will pay to the licensor a royalty based on net sales of all licensed products in the territory during the term of the agreement. Either party can cancel the agreement with 60-days written notice. The Company is still in the process of building this operation, and no product sales or no royalties earned as of the date of this filing.

On September 26, 2023, HCMC filed a patent infringement lawsuit against R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company (“RJR”) in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina in connection with HCMC’s assertions that RJR’s Vuse electronic cigarette infringes one of HCMC’s patents.

From time to time the Company is involved in legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business. We believe that there is no other litigation pending that is likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations as of June 30, 2024. With respect to legal costs, we record such costs as incurred.