Bryan Haynes and Agustin Rodriguez, partners in Troutman Pepper Locke’s Tobacco + Nicotine industry group, were quoted in the February 19, 2026 Convenience Store News article, “Cause for Optimism.”

From the legal perspective, two partners specializing in tobacco at the national law firm of Troutman Pepper concur there is cause for optimism, albeit cautious.

Agustin Rodriguez told CSNews that he was impressed with the FDA director acknowledging a continuum of risk and noting there are products deemed safer than combustible cigarettes. “The speech that he gave was helpful and in contrast to the previous administration that avoided discussing that,” he said. Rodriguez also praised the FDA’s pilot program for nicotine pouch PMTAs, which results in more frequent interaction between the agency and manufacturers undergoing the PMTA process.