Help Exempt Premium Cigars From FDA Regulation!

Help Exempt Premium Cigars From FDA Regulation! H.R. 792 / S. 772 - A bill to clarify the FDA's jurisdiction over certain tobacco products.				Taken from CRA website.

Between April 26, 2010 and November 27, 2013 the U.S. Food & Drug Administration publicly posted their intent to deem cigars as subject to federal regulation. Therefore, it's incumbent upon the cigar enthusiasts of the United States to voice their opposition to any proposed new regulation of premium/traditional cigars by the United States Government.

H.R. 792 and S. 772 have been filed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate under the banner "To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify the Food and Drug Administration's jurisdiction over certain tobacco products, and to protect jobs and small business involved in the sale, manufacturing and distrubtion of traditional and premium cigars." This bi-partisan legislation would decree that premium/traditional cigars should be off limits to FDA regulation and, 'to clarify the Food & Drug Administration's jurisdiction' in the 'sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars.'

Such legislation could have a profound impact on protecting the industry, from the fields and factories of Central America , to the supply-chain throughout this nation, to the community tobacconist, to enjoying a cigar in the local shop, club or back porch.

We can assure you, nothing could rip the soul of the cigar industry apart, like FDA actions. For example, some of the (again) hypothetical possibilities, but that are not beyond the realm of reason include: No more walk in humidors (Canadian model); Limits on advertising and promotions; Banning the very word cigar or tobacco; Manufacturers having to submit blends to FDA for "testing," before heading to your local shop - imagine the impact on boutique cigar makers; Adverse impact on flavored tobacco products; And price impact due to new fees on manufacturers. This, is the short list.

 H.R.792 protects thousands of small businesses like my local cigar shop and the jobs that make up the fragile, intimate, premium cigar industry.  If the FDA is allowed to expand the Tobacco Control Act's regulations to include premium cigars, hundreds of thousands of jobs in the United States, Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic would be at stake.

Why is H.R.792 so important?  Because I want to continue to have the freedom to purchase and enjoy a fine cigar!

Some of the regulations the FDA may consider include:

• Ban walk-in humidors, self serve cigar displays, and mail-order/internet cigar sales;

• Ban all flavored cigars, that are enjoyed by legal-age adults;

• Deface ornate, decorative cigar boxes, often considered an art form with grotesque graphic images;

• Ban cigar events where free cigars (samples) are available to legal-age adults;

• Limits on cigar marketing and advertising;

• Imposition of new ‘user fees' [tax] on cigars, to finance FDA regulators;

• Eliminate special release, vintage and small-batch cigars, due to mandates that cigar blends be submitted, tested and pre-approved by the FDA before being released for sale;

• Ban logo cigar merchandise such as hats, t-shirts and jackets.

Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced legislation that would exempt premium cigars from the FDA’s authority under the Tobacco Act.

I’m urging you to join several of your colleagues and co-sponsor H.R. 792, "To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify the Food and Drug Administration's jurisdiction over certain tobacco products, and to protect jobs and small businesses involved in the sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars."

Thank you for your support!
To sign the petition, click here.