in 2010, benowitz was named a member of the tobacco products scientific advisory committee, an advisory panel of the food and drug administration. at the time, some were concerned that he might have a conflict of interest due to the fact that he had served as a consultant to glaxosmithkline and pfizer, who make smoking cessation products, but benowitz dismissed these accusations, saying that he didn't see a "direct conflict of interest" because the panel does not oversee smoking cessation products. in 2011, tobacco companies lorillard and rj reynolds sued the food and drug administration, claiming that benowitz, along with jack henningfield and jonathan samet, had conflicts of interest that disqualified them from being members of the committee. specifically, the tobacco companies claimed that benowitz, henningfield and samet had conflicts of interest because all three of them had received thousands of dollars to testify against tobacco companies and had served as advisors to companies that make smoking cessation products. in july 2014, judge richard j. leon ruled in favor of the companies, finding that benowitz, henningfield and samet all were ineligible to serve on the panel due to their conflicts of interest, and ordering the fda to reorganize the panel.