Representative Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) and Representative Sanford Bishop (D-Georgia) have introduced H.R. 1136, the FDA Deeming Authority Clarification Act of 2017. This is proposed legislation that would move the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s predicate date for deemed tobacco products from February 15, 2017 to 21 months after the act’s date of enactment. For premium […]

Tom Price, a former Orthoepedic Surgeon turned U.S. Congressman from Georgia has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services. The move is of particular interest to the cigar community as Price’s department will oversee the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) –  the organization that regulates […]

With the 115th Congress now in session, Senator Bill Nelson [D-Florida] has once again introduced a bill to exempt premium cigars from regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Senate Bill 294 (S. 294) joins a companion bill H.R. 564 which was introduced last month in the House of Representatives that also proposes an […]

Three United States Congressman sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence urging the Trump Administration to suspend enforcement of the FDA Deeming Rules on premium cigars. The letter was by Rep. Bill Posey (R-Florida), Rep.Duncan Hunter (R-California), and Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pennsylvania). The letter points out how the new regulations “are already causing tremendous difficult for premium cigar manufacturers […]

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order putting a freeze on all new regulations. For the cigar industry, it doesn’t change the FDA regulations currently in play. However, it could temporarily slow down the progress of the current implementation of the regulations going forward. The key point is that […]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued draft guidance on January 17, 2017 as it pertains to free samples of tobacco products. In the guidance, the FDA confirmed that the free sample ban applies to all tobacco products subject to its authority over tobacco products. The Deeming Rule which went into effect on August 8, 2016 extended […]

With the 115th Congress now in session, the time has come to introduce and re-introduce proposed legislation. This past week, House Bill (HR) 564 has been introduced by Representative Bill Posey of Florida to the U.S. House of Representatives. The purpose of the bill is to introduce legislation to exempt premium cigars from regulations being proposed by the […]

One of the new regulatory requirements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is that  cigar manufacturers are subject do is to submit ingredient listings for the products they market. Today, the FDA announced a six month grace period for when this information is required to be submitted. Under the original guidance, manufacturers were […]