America
A smoking prevention act aimed at cigarettes could end up devastating the cigar industry.
UNDER
SCRUTINY A cigar roller
in Tampa, Fla., plies his trade, which the
FDA is bent on regulating.
Cigar Aficionados Revolt Against FDA Crackdown
C BY JANE BLAKEMORE
igar lovers and tobacco shops nationwide are warning that the Obama administration is about to
hit the premium cigar industry with regulations that could “decimate” the industry. In 2009 President Barack Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that brought tough new restrictions on cigarettes. But the Cigar Rights of America (CRA) advocacy group says it was never intended to regulate pre- mium cigars. However, the bill did grant the FDA
authority to “deem” other tobacco products for regulation as well. It has put the cigar industry on notice that it intends to do so. Health offi cials
report that young people are going online to evade age restrictions, and purchase cheap, small “cigarillos.” CRA is urging Congress to adopt
the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preserva- tion Act so the premium cigar indus- try won’t be lumped in with low-end products. CRA Executive Director J. Glynn Loope tells Newsmax the FDA regulations could “just decimate the industry.” David Zeplowitz, host of
the nationally syndicated “Cigar Dave” radio show, says young people aren’t interested in shelling out money to purchase high-end cigars. “The people who consume pre- mium cigars are adults of legal age,”
Firing Up the Cigar Industry T
he FDA has the cigar industry in its regulatory cross hairs, meaning the agency may extend
its authority over cigarettes to cover cigars. That could lead to a number of problems
for cigar smokers, including closing off walk-in humidors at cigar shops. Cigar-shop owners say forbidding customers from handling, smelling,
16 NEWSMAX | AUGUST 2012 CIGAR DAVE
Zeplowitz tells Newsmax. “You don’t see children on playgrounds or street corners smoking premium cigars. We’re talking about an adult product in which a government bureaucracy would like . . . to treat us all like lit- tle children because we’re not smart enough to make our own decisions.” It’s not just cigar smokers who should be worried, he says. “Even if you do not smoke cigars, be very wary. If you think government intrusion will stop only at cigars or smoking, you’re kidding yourself.” So far, more than 100 House members have declared their support for the
bill exempting premium cigars from FDA regulation.
or inspecting cigars prior to buying them would be devastating to their businesses. Additional “user’s fees” — otherwise known as a tax — could be implemented. Cigar customers already pay a 53 percent federal excise tax, and some states add additional taxes as well. Additionally, the FDA could require any new cigar brands to first undergo FDA testing. That could delay the introduction of new cigars for six months or longer.
CIGAR ROLLER/OLIVER STREWE/LONELY PLANET IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES / CIGAR DAVE/AP IMAGES / UNCLE SAM/MARTY HONIG/JUPITER IMAGES
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