A few weeks ago, I posted some information about what I consider the most important political action item I have posted to date. A proactive piece of bi-partisian legislation being proposed to give cigars an exemption to the FDA legislation to cigars (HR 1639).   Today, the Cigar Rights of America has launched “Operation Cigar Liberty” – a national petition to help support this issue.

I’ve included the text in an email written by Cigar Rights of America Executive Director J. Glynn Loope on how cigar enthusiasts can proactively support this measure.  I encourage you to click the links and sign this petition.  Folks, there is a lot of tobacco legislation and its very important as Cigar Enthusiasts we stay on top of this.  However, if the FDA is allowed to control cigars, it could cripple our industry.  These impacts include:

  • No more walk in humidors – just like in Canada
  • 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. 

Text from Email Cigar Rights of America Executive Director J. Glynn Loope

Today, we launch the largest effort in cigar history that will allow your voice to be heard, on the most significant threat to your passion for a great cigar.

As you have read in our April 20 and 22 releases, federal legislation (H.R. 1639) has been filed calling upon the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products not to regulate premium/traditional cigars, as they do other tobacco products. It is the most proactive measure ever taken to protect this nation’s cigar enthusiasts, retail tobacconists and manufacturers, alike. It will work to protect not only the cigar we enjoy each week, but the entire supply chain, and thousands of jobs in cigar producing nations.

You can now join the voices of over twenty members of the U.S. House of Representatives and US Senate, in telling the FDA to back off the idea of regulating cigars. You can tell them to Leave My Cigar Alone  Today, we launch Operation Cigar Liberty. In commemoration of this proactive piece of federal legislation, as the first of its kind in history in the form of H.R. 1639, Cigar Rights of America is starting a national petition drive for 1,639 petitions from each Congressional District in America. With 435 members of Congress, that’s 712,965 petitions. That’s over 7,000 petitions to each member of the United States Senate. They will listen to that. When elections are being decided by dozens, hundreds and a few thousand votes, they will listen.

The link to the petition will also be distributed to every cigar shop in America, so that they can send to their patrons. With over 2,000 professional tobacconists spanning every Congressional District in America , this is the moment for activism, energy, passion and a commitment to send our government a message. We have had, enough.

So with one simple click, where all you submit is a name, email address and zip code, you can have a place in history.

H.R. 1639 Update: 

We are also pleased to announce new patrons on H.R. 1639. U.S. Representative (and Presidential aspirant) Ron Paul of Texas; Chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee Harold Rogers of Kentucky ; and US Representative Dennis Ross of Florida have joined as sponsors of the legislation.