tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22680786262085707482024-02-07T15:25:09.572-08:00Cigar Rights of AmericaCigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-19849461189767214662011-04-18T10:49:00.000-07:002011-04-18T13:14:01.128-07:00Cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking, passive smoke exposure, and risk of pancreatic cancer: a population-based study in the San Francisco Bay Area<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzovcgECexe1tGqaEIICT4Qdcsumnn_ASFmsaLi13GjxaPLBdSV69Jr1Q5wxWL_TwFQvVSU1BkKl_xXl-miIABGKSob4BgMdIJGu3DlOTZeta2xSrh2PGWYvDKbFm7zGx6V4NZl0dNH9gf/s1600/untitled.bmp"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 74px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 59px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597019147745442210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzovcgECexe1tGqaEIICT4Qdcsumnn_ASFmsaLi13GjxaPLBdSV69Jr1Q5wxWL_TwFQvVSU1BkKl_xXl-miIABGKSob4BgMdIJGu3DlOTZeta2xSrh2PGWYvDKbFm7zGx6V4NZl0dNH9gf/s320/untitled.bmp" /></a> <br /><div>Gregory J Tranah , Elizabeth A Holly , Furong Wang and Paige M Bracci </div><br /><div>BMC Cancer 2011, 11:138doi:10.1186/1471-2407-11-138 </div><br /><div>Published: 15 April 2011 </div><br /><div><strong>Abstract (provisional)</strong> </div><br /><div>Backgound. To examine the influence of cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking, cessation of cigarette smoking and passive smoke exposure on the risk of pancreatic cancer. </div><br /><div><strong>Methods</strong> Exposure data were collected during in-person interviews in a population-based case-control study of pancreatic cancer (N=532 cases, N=1701 controls) in the San Francisco Bay Area. Odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for potential confounders. </div><br /><div><strong>Results</strong> The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of pancreatic cancer among current smokers was 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-2.7). A significant, positive trend in risk with increasing pack-years of smoking was observed (P-trend <0.0001). Compared with participants who continued to smoke, former smokers had no statistically significant elevation in risk of pancreatic cancer 10 years after smoking cessation, with risk reduced to that of never smokers regardless of prior smoking intensity. Both men and women experienced similar increased risk of pancreatic cancer with increasing smoking duration. Cigar and pipe smoking and exposure to passive smoke were not associated with pancreatic cancer. </div><br /><div><strong>Conclusions</strong> Cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Smokers who had quit for >= 10 years no longer experienced an increased risk. Future work will help to determine the effect of declining smoking rates on pancreatic cancer incidence. </div><br /><div>-------------------------------- </div><br /><div>The complete article is available as <a href="http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2407-11-138.pdf" target="_blank">a provisional PDF</a>. The fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production.</div>Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-33607785605179333892010-10-18T11:45:00.000-07:002010-10-18T11:47:58.312-07:00Testimony of J. Glynn Loope for Proposed NYC Smoking Ban<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSSc4z0Ff0D_yVm6yNWrdInSnYLzeUFpxuVMf7dx7hfsTQfj1tk-SF0Q6AkgIyiLAfNsM0hU8zlFH3djALr2MF0CrZSQkZXwhyphenhyphenl5Js2il_2kg2y9bBlXWB5kP0RU23bSK-6iBe-dqxiSY/s1600/GlynnLoope_WashingtonDC_175px.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 175px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 249px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529459696879992594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSSc4z0Ff0D_yVm6yNWrdInSnYLzeUFpxuVMf7dx7hfsTQfj1tk-SF0Q6AkgIyiLAfNsM0hU8zlFH3djALr2MF0CrZSQkZXwhyphenhyphenl5Js2il_2kg2y9bBlXWB5kP0RU23bSK-6iBe-dqxiSY/s320/GlynnLoope_WashingtonDC_175px.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>Testimony of J. Glynn Loope, Executive Director<br />Cigar Rights of America<br />October 14, 2010<br />Before the Joint Meeting of the New York City Council<br />Committee on Health and Committee on Parks and Recreation<br /></strong><br />Members of Council and of the Committees, thank you for this opportunity to address the proposed ban on smoking in pedestrian plazas and public parks within New York City. I represent Cigar Rights of America, a national advocacy organization for cigar enthusiasts, with partners in the manufacturing and retail tobacconist sectors, as well.<br /><br />In a national context, the State of New York and New York City specifically ranks among our largest areas for membership, as our members patron some of great cigar shops in the world, right here in New York City.<br /><br />We would submit that this proposal is based more upon political hype and public relations zeal, than on scientific evidence and a true concern for the public health. It’s a brand of ‘flavor of the month politics,’ that seeks to divert attention from the actual pressing issues of the day for citizens in New York City.<br /><br />In a public health context, this proposal will not prevent one case of cancer, one case of asthma, one heart attack, or prevent one person from partaking in perfectly legal tobacco products. It is advocated by a city Health Department that used public funds to produce a pamphlet on how to safely use heroin. This is a clear case of misplaced priorities.<br /><br />I realize how these types of proposals sound like motherhood and apple pie; that it’s all for the good of the general public; and that it somehow makes a governing body sound as if it is being ‘progressive.’<br /><br />In fact, you would be making bad public policy, based upon questionable science, without a thorough review of all studies surrounding such issues, which provide a more objective view of tobacco use, and outdoor smoking more specifically.<br /><br />There are others that have. We highlight the City of Athens, Georgia. As they considered an outdoor smoking ban, they learned that no peer review study existed. They consulted with the University of Georgia-Athens, and its renowned environmental health sciences department.<br /><br />The head of that department stated regarding exposure to outdoor second hand smoke, “Is this of public health concern? Do these levels pose a risk? We haven’t answered that yet.” Based upon that, the local governing body stated that it would not be tackling the issue without more evidence.<br /><br />We would also point to the analysis within the journal of Toxicology and Pharmacology, which stated regarding Mainstream and Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS): “It should be clear that the seemingly insurmountable difficulties in measuring ETS exposures and doses, unresolved classification bias, and the inability to control for numerous independent confounders explain the inconsistency of weak ETS epidemiologic results and speak against the scientifically credible conclusions about a risk that, if real at all, remains imponderable.” [Report Submitted for the Record.]<br /><br />Or, the British Medical Journal submitted analysis, which stated, “The association between environmental tobacco smoke and coronary heart disease and lung cancer may be considerably weaker than generally believed.” [Report submitted for the Record.]<br /><br />Or, the report of the Congressional Research Service which concluded, at best, that further analysis is needed before any credible policies can be objectively developed, as it cited the two largest U.S. studies on this subject, where within these reports, one found a single case of positive risk that was barely statistically significant, and the other no risk at all.” [Report submitted for the Record.]<br /><br />And, the view of Dr. Michael Siegel of the Boston University School of Public Health, where he recently stated regarding this very proposal, “The argument does not extend to wide open spaces like Central Park and hundreds of other large parks in New York City where there is plenty of room for nonsmokers to walk away from someone who is smoking.” [Article submitted for the Record.]<br /><br />But let’s take the health debate out of the equation. What about the question of basic fairness to those which decide to use perfectly legal tobacco products, such as cigars, outdoors? Many of these are residents, taxpayers, voters, or travelers and tourists that contribute to the city economy, just like anyone else. Should they not have the same access and ability to use these public resources, while enjoying legal products, and behaving within the bounds of existing law? Of course they should.<br /><br />In this vain, we would hope you would consider the position and recent action of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, as he vetoed a virtually identical piece of legislation, in a state not known for being ‘tobacco friendly.’ For a proposal that also would have banned smoking in public parks and upon public beaches, the Governor stated, “There is something inherently uncomfortable about the idea of the state encroaching in such a broad manner on the people…”<br /><br />The proposed ordinance states that the Department of Parks and Recreation shall have the power to enforce the policy. From a purely public safety context, if Parks and Recreation staff have such ‘police powers’ and as actual New York City police officers patrol in Times Square where smoking would become illegal, I would much rather their minds be on identifying a Faisal Shahzad, than a pedistrian with a cigar. We have also read of ‘self policing’ as a component of this ordinance. Do we really want to start pitting city residents against each other in this fashion? Again, a case of misplaced priorities.<br /><br />If a policy at all is to be considered, then let’s find some common ground. First, we believe this entire proposal should be defeated, but we also know that governing should be the art of compromise. Smoking should not be allowed around children, so establish non-smoking areas near playgrounds, where those under age frequent. Forcing the “coralling” of smokers into an isolated area only exacerbates such problems, and also forces those that enjoy legal tobacco products onto the city’s already crowded sidewalks.<br /><br />Your consideration of these sentiments and submitted documents is appreciated. We hope you defeat the proposal, or at least, consider options that take into account the needs and wishes of all – all – New Yorkers, and those that enjoy this great city. </div>Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-89984596364194846452010-05-14T10:23:00.000-07:002010-05-14T10:31:27.708-07:00Florida Cigar Summit (2010)<a href="http://www.cigarrights.org/photo_florida_cigar_summit.htm"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 227px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 151px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.cigarrights.org/images/moments/florida_cigar_summit/FCS_photo_album_sm.jpg" /></a>On Friday, February 26, cigar industry leaders from the retail, manufacturing, and trade association ranks joined forces for a unified message to the Florida political community – “Help protect the cigar industry in Florida.”<br /><br />In a true precedent setting moment, the briefing on the state of the cigar industry took place at the historic J.C. Newman Cigar Company facility in Tampa, Florida. Select members of the Florida legislature were briefed on the implications of tax and regulatory policy on this staple industry of the Florida economy.<br /><br />With over 100 in attendance, nearly a dozen members of the Florida House and Senate heard from leaders in the national cigar industry.<br /><br />Moderating the discussion was Eric Newman, President of J.C. Newman Cigar Company, who also serves as this year’s chairman of the Cigar Association of America, and Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of Corona Cigar Company, and board member for the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, and Cigar Rights of America.<br /><br />Also attending was Mike Prendergast, candidate for the US Congress for Florida’s 11th Congressional District, who vowed to take his anti-tax philosophy to Washington.<br /><br />Attending members of the Florida legislature were provided a tour of the J.C. Newman Cigar Company, while being briefed on what the Florida cigar industry means for local employment, with over 250 retail establishments and 60 family owned manufacturers, leaf dealers, importers and cigar corporate headquarters operations throughout the state, equating to over 5,500 jobs.<br /><br />It was further noted that over 70% of the cigars sold in the United States are either made or imported through Florida.<br /><br />Cigar Rights of America joined the Cigar Association of America and the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association in co-hosting the forum. Jeff Borysiewicz noted, “We hope that this event sets a national example of the type of discussion that needs to take place in every state. By educating our political leadership at the local, state and federal level on the implications of tax and regulatory policy on cigar consumers and the entire supply chain, hopefully they will be less inclined to consider harmful legislation and budget measures.” <div><br /><img style="WIDTH: 16px; HEIGHT: 16px;" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.cigarrights.org/images/layout/icon_pdf.gif" /> <a href="http://www.cigarrights.org/press/PressRelease-FloridaCigarSummit.pdf">Read the Official CRA Press Release </a></div>Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-76750535883091189522009-09-25T11:07:00.000-07:002009-09-25T11:12:24.208-07:00New York Mayor Proposes Smoking Ban in City Parks<div><strong>By Theodore J. King, CRA Guest Columnist</strong> </div><br /><div></div><a href="http://www.cigarrights.org/images/photo/bloomberg_ny.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 234px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 175px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.cigarrights.org/images/photo/bloomberg_ny.jpg" /></a><br /><div>New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is now proposing banning smoking in city parks. There was a poll in New York Newsday about this proposed ban.<br /><br />The poll asked: Is it a good idea because smoking is a filthy habit, even outdoors, or is it wrong because it's in the open air, or do you know?<br /><br />September 14th, 17% were in favor of the ban, and 81% were against it. The next day, the percentage in favor of the ban went down from 17% to 15%, and those against it went up to 84%!!<br /><br />It is good to see there are still people who use common sense, which fact brings me to Gilbert Keith (G.K.) Chesterton (1874-1936), a British writer, philosopher, and Christian apologist who wrote about common sense, including the common sense of smoking cigars.<br /><br />He was a fabulous and fascinating man who wrote more than 100 books and Father Brown mysteries about a Jesuit priest who is as clever as Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot but a lot more humble. G. K. Chesterton also wrote some 4,000 newspaper articles.<br /><br />Four thousand articles amount to one a day for 11 years!<br /><br />G.K. Chesterton was a strong advocate of Christian morality but was by no means a dour puritan, and he often had a cigar in his mouth. As Dale Ahlquist, the president of The American Chesterton Society, noted in his book, Common Sense: 101 Lessons from G. K. Chesterton, Ignatius Press (2006), he called the cigar, “My muse...Some men write with a pencil, others with a typewriter. I write with my cigar.”<br /><br />And because he wrote all those thousands of articles and books, he smoked a lot of cigars!!<br /><br />Mr. Ahlquist wrote about G. K. Chesterton: “He explains that there is nothing immoral about smoking a cigar. To regard smoking as immoral shows not merely a lack of clear thinking but a lack of clear standards. Lumping the wrong things together as evils blurs the lines between right and wrong and leads to chaos. It also leads to legal and practi- cal confusion.”<br /><br />And Chesterton was prescient in 1927 when he said, “The lack of clear standards among those who vaguely think of [smoking] as a vice may yet be the beginning of much peril and oppression.” Today, such “peril and oppression” are the smoking bans and tobacco taxes by which we cigar smokers are persecuted.<br /><br />Mr. Ahlquist in his book stated that the great G.K. Chesterton “defends smoking and drinking . . .as simple, traditional pleasures that have been enjoyed by normal people for centuries. He points out that what society calls ‘progress' usually serves to punish all the things the common man enjoys. Chesterton added, “There is no normal thing that cannot now be taken from the normal man [like cigars, fast foods, etc., etc.]. Mod- ern ‘emancipation' has really been a new persecution of the Common Man and common sense.”<br /><br />G.K. Chesterton said that, to which I say: Amen -- and let us in Cigar Rights of America smokers fight this persecution in every legitimate way possible, like lobbying our legislators. For more information on G.K. Chesterton: <a href="http://www.chesterton.org/">http://www.chesterton.org/</a>.</div>Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-65211558824355497922009-09-25T11:02:00.000-07:002009-09-25T11:07:34.225-07:00Drug Paraphernalia and Cigars: Words that Don't Belong in the Same Ordinance<strong>By J. Glynn Loope, CRA Executive Director</strong><br /><br />There is more trouble in Washington , DC , but this time it's a few blocks from Capitol Hill. It's in the Washington , DC City Council chambers.<br /><br />An initial group of five (possibly eight) city council members, including Marion Barry, Tommy Wells, Michael Brown, Yvette Alexander and Harry Thomas, have introduced an amendment to the Drug Paraphernalia Act of 1982, known as the “Single Sale of Cigar Products Prohibition Act of 2009.” The very reading of “cigars” in a “drug paraphernalia” ordinance is deeply disturbing, and the reason such a trend needs to stop – now.<br /><br />The intent of the proposed ordinance is to prevent the use of cigars as a means to marijuana use. The draft ordinance defines cigar as “an individual cigar, cigar leaf wrapper, flavored or non flavored cigar that is referred to as a blunt, blunt wrap, or any other tobacco product that may be used in the ingesting, inhaling or introduction of marijuana to the human body.”<br />In this draft, there is no mention of price, size, hand-made, machine-made, or other defining characteristics of cigars. While media reports have said its intent is to ban sales at convenience stores and gas stations, there is no mention of them in the bill either.<br /><br />Local premium tobacconists such as W. Curtis Draper and Georgetown Tobacco view the language as too vague, with John Anderson of W. Curtis Draper stating, “It's scary because it's open ended.” David Berkebile of Georgetown Tobacco intends to join in the opposition. The measure is not without precedent. Just over the border in Maryland , Prince George 's County Council, where ordinances were advanced to require sales of cigars in packs of five, helped usher in a trend with such public policy. That legislation did exempt stores that specialize in cigar sales. <br /><br />Earlier this year, Mayor Sheila Dixon of Baltimore , Maryland stated, “cheap cigars are becoming popular and these products are addictive and deadly.” The effort in Maryland was praised by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, stating “Individual cigars are more affordable to price sensitive kids.”<br /><br />We would like to dramatize how such nebulous policies can lead to unwarranted and unjust actions.<br /><br />Recently, a customer of Havana Connections, a Richmond , Virginia based premium tobacconist, purchased a $10 cigar, left the shop, and proceeded to drive home. He was enjoying the cigar in the privacy of his car, when he saw the blue lights flashing in the rear view mirror.<br /><br />When the cigar enthusiast asked what the problem was, the officer said he saw smoke, and wanted to know if he was using marijuana. Obviously, the answer was no, but the officer said “well, I have probable cause. Give me the cigar. I need to test it.”After some protest, he took it; set the cigar down, and the officer proceeded to cut this premium hand made cigar in half, dousing it with a solution to test for the presence of marijuana. Guess what? There was none. The cigar enthusiast proceeded to say, “you owe me $10 for that cigar.” The officer said, no, but you can take it up with our office. He did, and they gave him $40 for his trouble. True story. Two weeks old. Amazing.<br /><br />In government, especially at the local and state level, one of the foremost contributing reasons to bad public policy is the setting of precedent and others saying “we should do that too.” That's how an outdoor smoking ban makes its way from San Francisco to Boston . That has been the case on matters of indoor and outdoor smoking bans, private property (housing) smoking bans, regulation of advertising and marketing, and the setting of tax policy. Hopefully on September 29, a committee of Washington DC City Council will set aside this proposed ordinance. More so, however, there needs to be a halt to the very introduction of these measures across the country.Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-32596742023373354032009-08-06T18:46:00.000-07:002009-08-06T18:49:04.549-07:00Time for a Different Health Care DebateBy: J. Glynn Loope, CRA Executive Director<br /><br />A recent commentary from Dr. Ranit Mishori in Parade Magazine launched a flurry of email from cigar enthusiast brethren who took issue with Dr. Mishori targeting the health effects of enjoying cigars, specifically. He stated that Hollywood was glorifying cigars in the movies, and hence encouraging adolescent adults to take up cigars. Dr. Mishori goes on to state that enjoying cigars has been linked to every health hazard imaginable, and how cigars are actually worse than other forms of tobacco. Well, here we go again.<br /><br />As expected, Dr. Mishori provides little detail for his claims, and as we all know, all too often cigars are coupled with every other tobacco product in the public policy arena, when it comes to issues of smoking bans, and often taxation.<br /><br />Now is the time for the debate to shift with regard to public health, and the enjoyment of a cigar. Frankly, all of us need to do a better job of pointing out the contradictions in the field of statistical analysis, and this is our launch at Cigar Rights of America. We are going to run a series of stories and commentary on where you can find the ‘other side of the story,’ for those moments when each of us are engaged in a debate on public health, and the use of a perfectly legal product.<br /><br />A recent study published in the British Medial Journal, conducted by Dr. James Enstrom and Dr. Geoffrey Kabat of the State University of New York at Stony Brook evaluated the results of an American Cancer Society study that actually began in 1960, and spanned to 1998. Over 118,000 California resident adults were in the study, with an emphasis on evaluating 35,561 individuals that had a spouse in the study with known smoking habits. There were follow-up periods for those in the study during 1960-65, 1966-72, 1973-85, and 1973-1998.<br /><br />The analysis by Drs. Enstrom and Kabat had some interesting [to say the least] results. They point to the statistical claims by the American Heart Association, California Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Surgeon General that ‘environmental tobacco smoke’ increases risk to coronary heart disease by 30%. The Enstrom/Kabat study notes, “It is unclear how the reported increased risk of coronary heart disease due to environmental tobacco smoke could be so close to the increased risk due to active smoking (also 30%), since the environmental tobacco smoke is much more dilute than actively inhaled smoke.” <br /><br />Hmmmmm….interesting with the second, and now ‘third hand’ smoke debate, isn’t it? They further note the flaws in the methodology of these previous reports because the data was not “collected in a standardized way.”<br /><br /><br />The Enstrom/Kabat report focused on the 35,561 individuals that had never smoked, but who had a spouse that smoked. Their conclusions were that “exposure to environmental tobacco smoke was not significantly associated with the death rate for coronary heart disease, lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in men or women.”<br /><br />In their conclusion, Drs. Enstrom and Kabat further note that the findings of their report “suggest that the effects of environmental tobacco smoke, particularly for coronary heart disease, are considerably smaller than generally believed.”<br /><br />The full text of this study will be placed on the CRA web site. This is the beginning of a small series of pieces that we will be doing on how those that want to take away your ability to enjoy a great cigar are twisting facts, issuing false claims, and using biased analysis to take away some of the fundamental freedoms that we enjoy.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.heartland.org/custom/semod_policybot/pdf/23332.pdf">http://www.heartland.org/custom/semod_policybot/pdf/23332.pdf</a>Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-18606610900851592762009-07-31T11:57:00.000-07:002009-07-31T12:02:00.907-07:00Here Comes the Federal Government – Again.<strong>By J. Glynn Loope, CRA Executive Director</strong><br />Here on the advent of SCHIP taking effect and raising the price of your favorite cigar, the appetite in Washington for federal intervention in the tobacco industry continues to grow. Now the issue is not just money, but regulation – unbridled and unchecked regulation by a mammoth bureaucracy. Incidentally, the same bureaucracy that's charged with maintaining food safety and drug approval evidently needs more to do.<br /><br />Rapid Congressional action is being unleashed with legislation patroned by California Congressman Henry Waxman, in the form of HR 1256, which would grant unprecedented federal authority over all forms of tobacco to the Food and Drug Administration – a thought that has been with Congress for over a decade.<br /><br />HR 1256 has already passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which would also allow FDA to regulate the manufacture, distribution and retailing of all tobacco products. It could literally dictate the minutia of color advertising, and allows the imposition of “user fees” on manufacturers to fund FDA regulation, that would mean an estimated $7.6 billion on the industry, over the next ten years. A component of the Waxman bill that is also quite troubling is the ability for FDA to reach onto the actual farm producing the tobacco, and impose a new slate of mandates on the farming community.<br /><br />CRA noted that the President has recently announced two new nominees to leadership positions at FDA. Dr. Margaret Hamburg served as New York City 's Health Commissioner in the 1990s, and would serve as FDA Commissioner. For the number two post at FDA, President Obama has selected Health Commissioner for the City of Baltimore, Maryland Dr. Joshua Sharfstein. Both of which were leaders of efforts in their respective cities to ban all forms of smoking, including bans in restaurants and bars.<br /><br />Alternative LegislationWhile no one knows if compromise is in the air, there is an alternative piece of legislation to address the same issue. US Congressman Steve Buyer, as a Republican of Indiana has joined with Congressman Mike McIntyre, Democrat of North Carolina and introduced HR 1261. This legislation seeks to address tobacco in an alternative method, without government regulation.<br /><br />As opposed to FDA, the Buyer/McIntyre bill would establish the Tobacco Harm Reduction Center at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Its focus is on education and cessation. The new agency would have a sole focus on tobacco, as opposed to drug approval and food safety. Further, the Buyer/McIntyre legislation would not allow for intrusion on traditional farming practices, and would be paid for from general fund revenues, as opposed to new industry “user fees.” HR 1261 also would require states to adopt laws making it illegal for minors to purchase and possess tobacco products.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cigarrights.org/pdf/SidebySideofHR1261andHR1256.pdf" target="_blank">Click here to view a comparative description of the legislation. </a><br /><br /><strong>CRA Announces Formation of State Cigar Clubs</strong><br /><br />In an effort to build a true national network of cigar enthusiasts, and to provide a new program for members to interact socially, as well as to engage in political support with CRA, we are announcing the formation of Cigar Rights Clubs for the states .<br /><br />By virtue of your membership in CRA, you will be a member of your respective Cigar Rights Club for your state. This will allow us to communicate with you on specific issues that develop in your local community and state, in addition to having state member socials and special events with the makers of your favorite cigars.<br /><br />This will be a great new way to invite your friends to join CRA, get together for cigar events at your local cigar shops, to be involved in local and state issues, and to build a great sense of camaraderie among our membership.<br /><br />Also, we will start a competition among the states for new membership growth, with the winning states getting special events and “goodies” from CRA. One thing about cigar enthusiasts - they love a good time.<br /><br />We will be creating a Cigar Rights Club section on the CRA web site for updates, as well as a news and events page on what's happening in your state. Through this link, you will be able to see where all of your favorite cigar companies are having special events, and those that are noted on the CRA's website as a <a href="http://www.cigarrights.org/great_american_cigar_shops.htm" target="_blank">Great American Cigar Shop</a><sup>TM</sup>.Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-78773692550290602272008-12-23T19:45:00.000-08:002008-12-23T19:50:38.740-08:00Three Branches For A Reason<em>Written by: J. Glynn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Loope</span>, Executive Director, Cigar Rights of America</em><br /><br />The reason our forefathers created three branches of government with checks and balances was to provide a remedy for improper actions by either the legislative, executive or judicial branch. As cigar enthusiasts, we consider "improper action," as the over regulation of the ability to enjoy a legal cigar.<br /><br />Lately, various governments have enacted smoking bans without proper thought and analysis on the economic and social impacts. This has spurred many cigar enthusiasts and business owners to take their fight to court - a costly process on all accounts.<br /><br />In <strong>Louisville, Kentucky</strong> a case is being heard in court on the perceived unconstitutional exemption to the smoking ban by the world famous race track, Churchill Downs, and the impact to bingo halls, where smoking ban enforcement has lead to over 100 citations and even fines to their operators.<br /><br />Just a couple of states west, in <strong>Dallas, Texas</strong>, the owner of Illusions bar is preparing his case against the recently expanded non-smoking ordinance that passed with a 10-5 vote by the city council. Eddie Bonner, owner of Illusions, says that "since Illusions does not have a patio and doesn't have the space to build one, ‘the city is putting me at an unfair competitive disadvantage against like businesses."<br /><br />As everyone can now see, courts have now become the battleground for 'one of life's simple pleasures', which, sadly, include the enjoyment of a fine (and very legal) cigar. Because smoking bans are, literally, the result of 'flavor of the month' politics, it's going to take time to see where all of this goes. So, for now, this means one thing: Now is the time for cigar enthusiasts everywhere to fight for our freedom!Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-91345528902276765222008-12-11T13:41:00.000-08:002008-12-11T18:33:45.917-08:00Can High Cigar Taxes, Smoking Bans and Packaging Restrictions Wipe Out an Entire Industry?<div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Wr<em>itten by: Jeff Borysiewicz, CEO of Corona Cigar Company</em></div><div align="left"><br /><strong>You be the judge...</strong><br /><br />Glasgow, Scotland, the largest city in Scotland and the third largest city in the United Kingdom. Home of four world class Universities, spectacular Cathedrals, four professional football clubs, whisky distilleries and is the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">UK's</span> largest retail center after London. In a city of this size, you would think you could find a cigar shop...or can you?<br /><br />Below is an article from the Scottish newspaper The Sunday Herald:<br /><br />LAST SMOKERS' PARADISE CLOSES - An era ends as Herbert Love, Glasgow's only remaining old-school gentleman's smoke shop, shuts down<br /><br />IT WAS the commodity that transformed a village north of the Clyde into the second city of the empire and brought untold wealth and status to Glasgow's merchant class.<br /><br />Tobacco may have forged the expansion of Scotland's economic powerhouse, but yesterday saw the passing of the trade's remaining vestiges with the closure of the last independent tobacconist in Glasgow.<br /><br />It was an unspectacular send-off for Herbert Love, a musty, mahogany-brown emporium tucked away in St Vincent Place for more than 100 years, as the last customers stocked up on favoured blends, cut-price pipes and cigar-filled humidors, muttering final farewells to the staff.<br /><br />The Smoking Kills stickers plastered on to the Royal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Doulton</span> antique tobacco jars, gleaming in sapphire blue and bearing the names of exotic mixtures, offered an obvious clue to the demise of the Glasgow tobacconist. Herbert Love, which traded as Murray Frame for 80 years, could no longer withstand the introduction of the Scottish smoking ban.<br /><br />Before the restrictions, regular customers, including Billy Connolly and Donald Findlay, enjoyed a leisurely puff in the lounge downstairs.<br />One devotee, Brian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Pulle</span>, was forced to pop in and out of the rain yesterday to sample some of last pipe blends on the shelf.<br /><br />The 50-year-old from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Clydebank</span> said: "I know it's an unhealthy pursuit, but so is walking across the road these days. You don't get this kind of service anywhere else anymore, so I'll be very sad to see it go."<br /><br />Jim Graham, a 63-year-old smoker of American black cherry and plum tobacco, added: "There were at least nine or 10 tobacconists in Glasgow at one time, but they're gone now. A real shame. I've stocked up on about 150 cigars, so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">that'll</span> keep me going for a while."<br /><br />Don Higgins, secretary of the Association of Independent Tobacco Specialists, said regulations had undoubtedly damaged the specialist trade.<br /><br />"It is extremely difficult for independent shops to survive in a culture of anti-smoking, and the Scottish parliament has been particularly strong-minded about it," he said. "It's terribly, desperately sad that the last one has gone, because Glasgow had a special reputation in the tobacco trade."<br /><br />In the 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> and early 20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">th</span> centuries, Glasgow was one of the biggest tobacco producers in Britain. Alexandra Parade was known as Tobacco Road, with four factories producing cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco, including the Wills plant, still an East End landmark.<br /><br />You can view the entire article at<br /><a href="http://www.sundayherald.com/search/display.var.1932895.0.last_smokers_paradise_closes.php" target="_blank">http://www.sundayherald.com/search/display.var.1932895.0.last_smokers_paradise_closes.php</a><br /><br />My wife and I used to frequent Love's whenever we were in Glasgow (she is from Glasgow). It is a shame that excessive tobacco taxes, smoking bans and packaging regulations drove this 100 year old "mom and pop" cigar shop out of business. You now have to drive to the city of Edinburgh to find one of the last remaining cigar shops in all of Scotland.<br /><br />As a fellow cigar store owner, I see the very same things that put Love's cigar store out of business threatening the cigar industry here.<br /><br />In the UK, cigars are taxed at one of the highest rates in the world.<br />The price for a hand made cigar in the UK range from around 8 pounds for a corona size cigar to 28 pounds or more for a Churchill size or Limited Edition cigar. That is roughly $16 for an entry level smoke! With prices this high, it is no wonder that hardly anyone can afford to smoke cigars in the UK.<br /><br />In America, the cigar industry is currently threatened by the proposed expansion of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">SCHIP</span>. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">SCHIP</span> bill would impose a 52.988% Federal tax on the wholesale price of cigars. (That is a 6,000% increase of the current cigar tax.) What makes matters worse is that in 47 states, there is a state tobacco tax that is applied on top of the federal tax. (Yes, they actually tax a tax!) And then when you go to buy a cigar, you are taxed again with a state and county sales tax. (Yes, a tax on top of a tax on top of a tax!) ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!<br /><br />If Americans don't speak up and let our legislators know that these taxes are are unfair, nothing will change. I urge you to pick up the phone and call your Senators and Congressmen and let them know you oppose the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">SCHIP</span> cigar tax. I also urge that you join the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">CRA</span>, so we can have a united front to defend the rights of cigar enthusiasts. <a href="http://www.cigarrights.org/membership.htm" target="_parent">Join today!</a> </div>Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-47961995615194584042008-11-11T12:29:00.000-08:002008-11-11T13:21:17.815-08:00Australian Case Study on the Impact of Taxation and Legislation of Cigars<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LjVgpNPaeiqAe8f43H_4H96Izf0GDfZ70boxzQ6AS9T8WOF528IhhelcXMAb52u8W3yIMoekV_CEO7quAE6ZhjZ4NdpYJs0z-Cvm6gDUH3CFO5L3cwd2lNfUS20otzkBM1dP2j-ikzV4/s1600-h/Samuel_Spurr.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267500982677595938" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 104px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LjVgpNPaeiqAe8f43H_4H96Izf0GDfZ70boxzQ6AS9T8WOF528IhhelcXMAb52u8W3yIMoekV_CEO7quAE6ZhjZ4NdpYJs0z-Cvm6gDUH3CFO5L3cwd2lNfUS20otzkBM1dP2j-ikzV4/s320/Samuel_Spurr.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Australian cigar writer Samuel Spurr reports on the impact of taxation and legislation on the Australian cigar industry. </div><div></div><div><em><br />"The Australian cigar community faces some of the most stringent government legislation and taxation in the world. It continues to push ahead though, despite such intervention. Current American freedoms must be appreciated and fought for, for the sake of fellow cigar lovers around the world. The threat posed by anti-smoking groups and government taxation and legislation must not be slept on."</em><br /><br />Imagine a government tax of US$122 per pound of tobacco. Attendees at events such as Cigar Aficionado’s ‘Big Smoke’ and the IPCPR’s annual trade show can no longer enjoy cigars as smoking is illegal at all indoor venues. Tobacco advertising is banned, and manufacturers cannot sponsor corporate, community or sporting events. Cigar enthusiasts cannot light up in their favourite cigar shop, whilst smoking at some public parks and beaches is banned.<br /><br />This is not an imagined scenario for Australian cigar suppliers, retailers and consumers. This is current state of tobacco taxation and anti-tobacco legislation and all involved with premium tobacco have had to deal with such government taxation and legislation for the better part of the last 20 years.<br /><br /><strong>Taxation</strong><br />Australian cigar smokers have paid a premium price for cigars for some time. Australia’s federal tobacco tax is approximately AUD$300 per kilogram or USD$130 per pound. This dollar amount is not static, instead rising twice per year in line with inflation. Local consumers have been ‘conditioned’ for many years to the retail price of premium tobacco. Because of this ‘conditioning’ Australian cigar smokers continue to purchase cigars and the taxes have not had a ‘loss of business’ impact.<br /><br />Australian retailers report that some clients may purchase less in terms of volume due to budgetary constraints however as a rule they will spend what they are comfortable with. For the American cigar retailer, proposed taxes such as SCHIP may have a ‘loss of business’ impact as American cigar lovers are not prepared for such immediate price hikes.<br /><br /><strong>Anti-tobacco Legislation</strong><br />It can be argued that government intervention through legislation has had and will continue to have the biggest impact on cigar enthusiasts. Australia has taken some hits and has survived but if similar legislation continues to be introduced in the US, losses can unfortunately be expected.<br /><br />Australian distributors, retailers and consumers would agree that the biggest impact has been the loss of entertainment venues which allow indoor smoking. Indoor smoking bans introduced across Australia in 2007, made no exemptions for cigar lounges or tobacconists. Despite this, cigar lovers continue to find pubs or bars which provide sheltered outdoor facilities that comply with new legislation. Australia’s predominantly temperate climate generally allows for year-round outdoor smoking – something not true of some parts of North America.<br /><br /><strong>The Future<br /></strong>Despite the impact of legislation and taxation, the Australian cigar industry is looking forward. Cigar events continue to be well-attended, doing much to improve the humble cigar’s public perception. Preparedness is however, still a strong requirement for those commercially involved with cigars. Established retailers continue to prosper but new retailers without a loyal customer base may struggle to be viable. Those retailers that remain are innovative and maintain the highest of customer service standards.<br /><br />The Australian cigar community faces some of the most stringent government legislation and taxation in the world. It continues to push ahead though, despite such intervention. Current American freedoms must be appreciated and fought for, for the sake of fellow cigar lovers around the world. The threat posed by anti-smoking groups and government taxation and legislation must not be slept on.<br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Samuel Spurr is Australia’s premier cigar writer, contributing to European Cigar Cult Journal and a number of cigar industry publications. His blog, Inlumino Cigar News Australia, keeps Aussie cigar smokers up to date with news, events and reviews. </span></em></strong></div>Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-17313042136400151972008-10-30T15:35:00.000-07:002008-11-04T12:37:22.678-08:00CRA Members Write Letters To Boston Mayor Menino<strong>SMOKING BAN GOES TO VOTE ON NOV. 13, 2008<br /></strong><br />We have received an overwhelming number of letters to Boston Mayor Menino by CRA Members. You have united to voice your opposition to Mayor Menino's proposed smoking ban. We would like to share some of these letters with you.<br /><br /><strong>Please write to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino (</strong><a href="mailto:mayor@cityofboston.gov"><strong>mayor@cityofboston.gov</strong></a><strong>). His proposed smoking ban goes to vote on November 13, 2008. Time is of the essence. Please copy your letter to </strong><a href="mailto:info@cigarrights.org"><strong>info@cigarrights.org</strong></a><strong> so that we can share your letter with your fellow cigar enthusiasts.<br /></strong><br />You can also call Boston Mayor Menino at (617) 635-4500 and let him know that you are a cigar enthusiast and that you oppose the proposed Boston Smoking Ban.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cigarrights.org/news_boston_letters.htm" target="_parent">Click Here to read letters that CRA Members have sent to Mayor Menino...</a>Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-59717942475415488202008-10-27T11:59:00.000-07:002008-10-28T18:43:46.809-07:00Why We FightOctober 27, 2008<br /><br />"...we will not go down without a fight. We will not be that minority group that disappears because people choose not to understand us. It's really just that simple. This is why we fight."<br /><br />By Ryan Evans<br />www.banthebanwisconsin.com<br /><br />At the end of last summer, I had the opportunity to attend the Cigar Freedom Tour down in Milwaukee. While I am a cigar nut and wouldn't have missed this for the world, a much more important aspect of the event became very apparent to me while I was there.<br /><br />We heard impassioned speeches from state legislators and cigar shop owners who oppose smoking bans - but we also heard very impassioned speeches from the "legends." These are the owners of the cigar manufacturers who came up to not only meet us, but to talk about the assault on our freedoms. Many of them are immigrants who talked about their families fleeing persecution and communism so they could run their businesses and live the American dream.<br /><br />But they also talked about how the American dream that they worked so hard for is being eaten away and the very things that they fled from are now being used against them once more.<br /><br />I don't recall for sure, but I'm pretty sure that Ernesto Reyes jr. said that we cannot be known as the only minority group to go down without a fight, And you know what? He's right!<br /><br />After the speeches, I spoke to one of the state senators who attended the event and also gave a great speech - cigar in hand - about our rights and freedom in Wisconsin and how Wisconsin is different. We discussed the event and why it was so important. The event was a cross-section of people. You could not identify them by race, color, creed, age or economic status. There were no common elements in the crowd save for one: the love of a lifestyle that is under attack. Everybody there - and I would dare to say that there were as many women as men - had a cigar in one hand, a drink in the other, and a big smile on their face as they made their way through the crowd and talked to people around them. This was truly an event that drew people who loved the lifestyle. But it also showed that there is a delicate situation here. Cigar smokers are a small group of Americans who come from all walks of life. Though small, their freedom should not be allowed to fall through the cracks.<br /><br />We cannot let this happen!<br /><br />History has shown that people fear, and often times hate that which they fail to understand. Care to talk to an anti-smoking advocate and ask them about the people who would attend a cigar smoking event? I would bet that they have no idea what happens there or why there was such a large draw.<br /><br />They do not see why so many people from so many different backgrounds and classes would come together to enjoy one another's company. They fail to see the love of the thing - and that scares them.<br /><br />So this is where we stand. We are fighting for the love of a thing - something that binds us together into a group of seemingly unrelated people who simply share the common enjoyment of a smoke. Is this really that different than other minority (or even majority) groups? Is this different from religion? From race fans? From car collectors? No, it's not.<br /><br />We will not go down without a fight. We will not be that minority group that disappears because people choose not to understand us. It's really just that simple. This is why we fight.Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-32390971563294038112008-10-23T16:28:00.000-07:002008-10-31T11:23:57.526-07:00Boston Smoking Ban<strong>CIGAR PROTESTS HAVING AN EFFECT IN BOSTON</strong><br /><br />BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, October 10, 2008– Although the Boston Public Health Commission's recommendations to further local smoking bans are getting a good reception at City Hall, cigar smokers strongly protested the closure of cigar bars.<br /><br />According to the Boston Globe, there are only cigar bars that would be affected, but Cigar Masters co-owner Brett Greenfield pointed out that "there aren't people who are in there who are expecting not to be around second-hand smoke."<br /><br />The city's director of public health, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, says she wants to "de-normalize" smoking and "Ideally, I'd like to say by 2025 that we don't have anybody smoking."<br /><br />However, the argument made by the cigar bars is receiving some interest. Mayor Tom Menino told the Globe, "I understand they've been there for a while and I want to work with the cigar bars. I cannot, during these tough economic times, prevent them from doing business."<br /><br />The restrictions, which face a final vote by the commission's seven-member board on Nov. 13, also would ban smoking on outdoor patios at restaurants and other businesses and prohibit tobacco sales on college campuses and by all drug stores in the city.Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2268078626208570748.post-62321577115177609442008-10-23T15:57:00.001-07:002008-10-23T16:28:09.208-07:00Los Angeles Smoking Ban<strong>HEAVYWEIGHT SMOKING BAN BATTLE IN LOS ANGELES</strong><br /><br />"Things start in Los Angeles and California and spread across the nation. That's why we're here."<br /><br />That's why CRA Executive Vice President Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of the Corona Cigar shops in Orlando, Florida, flew cross-country on October 16, 2008 to join a team of cigar manufacturers, store owners and supporters at a face-to-face meeting with Los Angeles Councilman Tom LaBonge and anti-tobacco activists over two new smoking bans proposed by other Council members.<br /><br />The first is a ban on smoking in outdoor dining areas of restaurants, proposed by Councilman Grieg Smith and the second is a motion by Bernard Parks to "enact a second-hand smoking law effective throughout the City which would limit public exposure to secondhand smoke in all public areas and common areas where people congregate including, but not limited to, but not limited to indoor and outdoor businesses, hotels, parks, apartment common areas, restaurants and bars, and beaches." This latter motion would essentially criminalize about 384,000 citizens of the City of Los Angeles for using a legal product: tobacco.<br /><br />The Smith motion threatens the relatively few restaurants which still allow smoking outdoors, since smokers make up only 14% of the population of Los Angeles County. If the Parks motion were to become law as drafted, his ban would:<br /><br /><ul><li>Eliminate smoking in all cigar shops in the City of Los Angeles</li><li>Eliminate smoking on the streets of Los Angeles</li><li>Eliminate smoking in all outdoor areas, such as the patios or lawns of hotels </li><li>Eliminate cigar smoking in outdoor areas of restaurants</li><li>End cigar events as we know them in the entire City of Los Angeles </li><li>Eliminate smoking in common areas of apartment buildings </li></ul><p>We will continue to monitor this issue and update our website.</p>Cigar Rights of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618156647776018942noreply@blogger.com0