OCTOBER 2008
About Us taxes, overly restrictive smok- Oliva/NUB Cigars, Padilla Ci- In This Issue: ing bans, cigar sales restric- gars, Padron Cigars, PROCI- igar Rights of America tions, and FDA regulation GAR, Prometheus, Rocky WILL CIGARS Cwas formed in April 2008 of cigars. Patel Cigars, Tabacalera Per- BECOME A PART to meet the demand of cigar The organization receives domo, Tatuaje Cigars, OF THE FDA lovers across the United funding through membership Thompson Cigar Co., Torano States for a voice in the de- dues, revenues from events Cigars, and Xikar. REGULATORY bate over cigar rights for those and from sponsors. As of Oc- For more information, or to SCHEME? who enjoy cigars for pleasure tober 2008, sponsors include join, please visit www.Cigar- and not because of any addic- Arturo Fuente Cigars, Ashton Rights.org. Comments or tion to, or dependence on Cigars, Camacho Cigars, questions may be emailed to WHAT IS nicotine. CAO Cigars, Casa Fernandes [email protected], faxed to IN THE NEWS? CRA is a membership or- Cigar, Corona Cigar Co., (818) 541-6865 or mailed to ganization dedicated to main- Davidoff/AVO Cigars, Dia- Cigar Rights of America, 2222 taining the personal freedom mond Crown Cigars, Don Foothill Boulevard, Suite THE 2008 of individuals to enjoy cigars. Pepin Garcia Cigars, Drew E122, La Canada Flintridge, Its activities are focused on Estate/Acid Cigars, Fonseca California 91011. STATE CIGAR education about handmade Cigars, General Cigar Co., TAX RATES premium cigars, opposing un- God of Fire Cigars, Graycliff fair legislation such as exces- Cigars, Humidipak, La Aurora sive state and federal cigar Cigars, La Flor Dominicana, CIGARS PART OF THE FDA REGULATORY SCHEME Have no doubt, the bill now in Congress to use the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an oversight agency for tobacco products includes cigars.
lthough the bill talks about “tobacco products” to incor- tobacco and the sealing gum (usually gum tragacanth, a natu- Aporate all types of tobacco – cigarettes, cigars and pipe ral product) used to hold the cap together. In better machine- tobacco – the primary focus is on cigarettes and on trying to made cigars, the ingredients are generally short-filler tobacco keep younger people from smoking. In sec. 901 (b), the bill with the wrapper made of natural leaf or homogenized tobacco states that “This chapter shall apply to all cigarettes, ciga- leaf (HTL), a paper-like substance thatʼs made from the scrap rette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, and smokeless tobacco tobacco, including leaf stems. and to any other tobacco products that the Secretary by reg- (2) BE SUBJECT TO REGULATIONS prescribing “good ulation deems to be the subject of this chapter (emphasis manufacturing practices” that specify how cigars should be added). That means an empowered FDA and a spirited di- made, packed and stored. This potentially onerous regula- rector could turn the screws to cigar makers. tion at least notes that historical manufacturing practices be The bill as passed by the House of Representatives (H.R. taken into account and the financial resources of the makers 1108) by a veto-proof 326-102 margin on July 30, 2008 runs al- be referred to when making any requirements. It would be a most 100 pages in length and while aimed at cigarettes and terrible thing, indeed, for small cigar makers to be eliminated smokeless tobacco products, there is plenty for cigar smokers as family cigar operations have been the lifeblood of new to get edgy about. If the FDA did extend the billʼs requirements concepts in the industry for more than 100 years. to cigars, manufacturers would be required to: (3) USE TOBACCO, especially foreign-grown, that (under sec. (1) DETAIL OUT ALL INGREDIENTS in their cigars, which for 907 (a)(1)(b)) “was grown or processed using a pesticide chem- the premium market wouldnʼt be that difficult: generally, itʼs the ical that is not approved under applicable Federal law for use
1 WWW.CIGARRIGHTS.ORG OCTOBER 2008 ISSUE 1, VOLUME 1