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The Case Against a Smoke-Free America

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On Wednesday, an Oregon based cigar smoker (like myself!) wrote a great article in the Atlantic titled “The Case Against a Smoke-Free America.” In it, Jacob Grier makes the argument that it is time for people to realize that smoking can be enjoyed in moderation, and that it can be enjoyed as an art as well.

Grier writes:

“millions of people do see the need, and they’re not all just looking for a nicotine hit. There is much more to tobacco than mass-produced cigarettes; premium tobacco is arguably every bit as artisanal as many of the other food and drink products that those of us in the culinary world obsess over.”

Grier goes on to write that:

“More generally, we must stop treating smoking as pure vice. Lost in discussions of the very real problem of how to reduce deaths from smoking is an acknowledgement that tobacco has redeeming qualities, that it can be enjoyed in moderation, and that not all forms of tobacco use are equally dangerous. We can and should educate consumers about the risks of tobacco and tax it appropriately. But we should also respect the rights of consenting adults to gather in private places and decide for themselves what to ingest into their bodies.”

Props to Jacob on a great article. Give it a read.

You can read the full article here.

Cigar Wars: Proposed rules roil cigar industry

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photo courtesy The Tampa Tribune

As popular and Congressional pressure mounts on the FDA to exclude premium cigars from its tobacco regulations, more articles from around the country are centering on the difficulties that FDA regulations pose for local brick and mortar tobacconists.

The latest of these articles comes from Tampa, FL, where regulations would hit particularly hard. In “Proposed rules roil cigar industry,” (June 25th) Jose Patino Girona of The Tampa Tribune interviewed B&M owner Alfred Moreno, as well as a few patrons, on their view of the proposed regulations. Most notable, probably, is Moreno’s lament that the regulations, especially banning the walk in humidor, would severely cripple a family industry.

“This is our heritage,” Moreno said. “You’re taking a national heritage if you restrict us.”

Click here to read the full story.

What do you think of the proposed regulations? Are they going too far, or just bringing American tobacco policy into the 21st century?

Cigar Wars: Backlash to the FDA Continues

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The American cigar community continues its revolt against the FDA’s overreaching regulations. Michael Felberbaum explains for the Associated Press today what the regulations will likely look like:

“If it’s anything like the FDA’s regulation of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, that could mean banning certain flavors, requiring new health warnings, limiting the sizes and shapes of cigars, or imposing restrictions for marketing, advertising and retail sales. Cigars also may be restricted from being sold separately and the agency also could limit the amount of nicotine in the products.”

He goes on to describe the effect on the cigar industry in the United States.

“The premium cigar industry argues any number of the potential restrictions could hurt both cigar makers and specialty tobacco stores, whose products make up only a small fraction of tobacco sales, don’t pose the same concerns as cigarettes, and the range of sizes and shapes of cigars makes across-the-board standards almost impossible.”

He continues,

“Cass and Spann have joined with others in the cigar industry to seek a change in Congress to protect premium hand-rolled cigars from FDA regulation and save 85,000 small business jobs around the country. Resolutions in both the House and the Senate remain in committee.

In the House, the resolution sponsored by U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, a Republican from Florida — home to many of the nation’s premium cigar makers — has gained more than 200 co-sponsors. The Senate resolution, sponsored by Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, also from Florida, has more than 10 co-sponsors.”

Read the full post by Michael Felberbaum here.

Stay updated on the fight for cigar rights here.