Between April 7 and 9, 2025, the National Association of Attorneys General held its annual Attorney General Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee. State AGs, attorney general staff, and private sector attendees heard from leaders and private sector partners regarding enforcement priorities and opportunities for partnership.
Reimagining Solutions: Uniting Forces and Leveraging Innovative Partnerships to Combat Substance Abuse and Drug Trafficking
New Hampshire AG Formella and representatives from the private sector, state law enforcement, and academia discussed the importance of cross-sector collaboration in addressing drug trafficking and substance abuse. The panelists focused on opportunities for partnership—including social media platforms’ ability to address drug trafficking through content moderation and investigatory assistance and their ability to connect users with recovery tools where needed. Additionally, they highlighted that academic partnerships can provide law enforcement with science-based information regarding the dangers of substance abuse, in particular its impact on young people. The panelists also noted the importance of educational initiatives, both to the general public and state enforcers, to ensure consistent messaging across the board.
Social Engineering Scams: Enforcement and Policy Strategies for Stopping Criminals and Protecting Consumers
Idaho AG Raul Labrador led a panel on social engineering scams, which included input from two consumer advocates. Social engineering scams, also called “pig butchering scams,” are scams in which fraudsters convince victims to invest in cryptocurrency, which is eventually transferred to an account controlled by the fraudster. The panelists explained that these scammers are typically based in large complexes in Southeast Asia, where many scammers are themselves victims of human trafficking. Social engineering scams cost American consumers billions each year, and it is likely that the losses are underreported. Some recommendations from the consumer advocate participants included education initiatives to help consumers recognize the signs of these scams, as well as improved information sharing between law enforcement, regulators, and financial institutions. Additionally, one consumer advocate noted that other nations have seen success with establishing a centralized reporting system, quickly removing fraudulent financial websites, blocking international calls that spoof domestic numbers, and allowing for the slowing of certain financial transactions.
Supreme Court Review
In this panel, a NAAG representative and two state solicitors general weighted in on the upcoming Supreme Court term. Of particular note was a discussion regarding Chiles v. Salazar, a case involving questions of whether a state is merely regulating conduct or unconstitutionally regulating speech when they require licensed mental health counselors to refrain from certain therapies. One panelist noted that the Court may view this as a restriction on speech, because it prohibits an activity for all licensees, and that the ultimate decision could have a major impact on other state licensing regimes.
Intoxicating Cannabinoid Products: The Evolving Public Health and Legal Landscape
Connecticut AG William Tong led this discussion of efforts to address the growing problem of highly intoxicating, hemp-based cannabinoid products, which included participants from federal and state regulatory entities and state attorney general staff. The panelists advocated for a federal regulatory scheme to address hemp-based cannabinoids, which may be exempt from certain cannabis-related regulations because they are derived from hemp plants. Additionally, absent any federal regulatory initiatives on the horizon, the panelists noted that these products will likely continue to be regulated under a patchwork of state laws, including consumer protection statutes.
Takeaways
In summary, conversations at the 2025 NAAG Attorney General Symposium highlighted a variety of pressing issues for AG offices, often centering on the opportunities of cross-sector partnerships in order to solve them. Businesses that are impacted by these issues should continue to have, or begin having, conversations internally and with AG offices in anticipation of continuing AG interest in these areas.
