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Senator Rubio Questions FDA Commissioner
on Premium Cigars
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Click on Image to Watch Video
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On Tuesday, during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Florida Senator Marco Rubio questioned the new FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb on if he had any plans to reevaluate FDA regulation of premium cigars. Rubio, in his line of questioning highlighted that the premium cigar "industry is at stake."
In response to Senator Rubio's question, Commissioner Gottlieb said "whatever we do in this regard is going to need to be science-based, but we are cognizant of the challenges faced by small businesses."
Gottlieb, in past comments, acknowledged concerns small businesses face over the agency's regulation of the industry and has promised to work with Congress to "mitigate the unintended consequences of these measures."
Dr. Gottlieb's testimony on Tuesday was a welcomed sign that FDA is evaluating all options on how to handle the issue of premium cigars.
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Foreign Competition, Labor Costs Push Connecticut Shade Tobacco Farmers
To The Edge
More than 700 acres of Connecticut farmland were planted with shade tobacco in 2011. Since then, those shade plantings have plummeted by nearly 80 percent, a decline that has some experts fearing that this iconic, century-old crop is about to vanish forever from the state's landscape.
It is out of such concern, that CRA initiated a letter from Connecticut Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture raising the concern of federal cigar regulation on Connecticut tobacco farmers.
To continue reading the article that appeared in the
Hartford Courant
, please click
here
.
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Support for Premium Cigar Exemption Legislation Continues to Grow
Support for H.R. 564 and S. 294 continues to grow in the House and Senate.
Since the beginning of the month, the following members of the House have agreed to co-sponsor the legislation: Congressman Chabot (R-OH), Congressman Joyce (R-OH), Congressman Boyle (D-PA), Congressman Ferguson (R-GA), Congressman Graves (R-GA), Congressman Palazzo (R-MS), Congressman Kelly (R-MS), and Congressman Hultgren (R-IL). The number of co-sponsors in the House now stands at 118.
On the Senate side, United States Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) became the 16th member of the U.S. Senate to sign on as a co-sponsor to S. 294.
Please click
here for a full list of H.R. 564 co-sponsors, and
here for a full list of S. 294 co-sponsors.
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State & Local Legislation Affecting Premium Cigars
State capitals and local governing bodies around the country often serve as ground zero for good and bad public policy concerning premium cigars. From tax caps and tax increases to the threat of closing smoking ban exemptions, it is important that as constituents you continually engage with your local representatives to ensure that your rights are protected and your passion for great cigars continues.
With this in mind, we want to bring to your attention key legislation that is still active in several state legislatures and at the local level across the country. Take action now and let your voice be heard.
State Bills:
Delaware Governor Carney's FY 18 Budget Proposal
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calls for an increase in the rate of taxation on premium cigars. Under the proposal, the rate of taxation would go from 15% to 30% of the wholesale cost.
Take action now, click
here to sign petition against the Governor's FY 18 budget proposal.
Indiana House Bill 1313 - Would remove exemptions that concern indoor smoking in tobacco and specialty cigar shops.
Take action now, click
here to sign petition against HB 1313.
Massachusetts House Bill 3524 - Would remove restrictive requirements and regulations on retail tobacco permits in the Commonwealth and promote small business premium cigar shops in the Commonwealth.
Take action now, click
here to sign petition in support of H. 3524.
Massachusetts Senate Bill 1497 - Seeks to modify the current taxation rates on premium cigars in the Commonwealth by adding an additional 80% excise tax on top of the Commonwealth's current 40% rate of taxation as well as subjecting retailers to a 90% floor tax.
Take action now, click
here to sign petition against S. 1497.
Massachusetts Senate Bill 1576 - Seeks to modify the current taxation rates on premium cigars in the Commonwealth by creating a tax cap of $0.50.
Take action now, click
here to sign petition in support of S. 1576.
New Jersey Assembly Bill 2057 - Would authorize a municipality to adopt an ordinance allowing certain new cigar lounges within the municipality that are exempt from the provisions of the "New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act" to open.
Take action now, click
here to sign petition in support of A 2057.
Oregon House Bill 2037 - Would increase in the tax on cigars and other tobacco products from 65 to 81.25 percent of the wholesale price. In addition, the bill also calls for an increase in the tax cap on cigars from 50 cents to 62.5 cents per cigar.
Take action now, click
here to sign petition against HB 2037.
Oregon House Bill 2056 - Would increase the rate of taxation on Other Tobacco Products to 90% of the wholesale cost.
Take action now, click
here to sign petition against HB 2056.
Oregon House Bill 2662 - Would remove the 50 cent tax cap on premium cigars and subject them to the full tax of 65 percent of the wholesale cost.
Take action now, click
here to sign petition against HB 2662.
Pennsylvania House Bill 1309 - Would remove all exemptions for indoor smoking in the state, including premium cigar stores, premium cigar bars, private clubs, casinos and more.
Take action now, click
here
to sign petition against HB 1309.
Local Ordinances and Legislation:
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Casino Smoking Ban - Proposed ordinance would remove the exemption on indoor smoking at casinos.
Take action now, click here to sign petition against the ordinance.
New York City OTP Tax Increase - Mayor de Blasio is pushing for a new 10 percent tax on premium cigar products in addition to the current OTP and sales tax.
Take action now, click here to sign petition against the OTP tax increase proposal.
** SPECIAL ALERT ON OHIO **
On Wednesday, the Ohio State Senate passed a two year budget plan, which included a $0.50 tax cap for premium cigars in the state.
Currently, premium cigars are taxed at 17 percent of the wholesale rate.
With passage by the Ohio State Senate, the bill will now head to a House-Senate conference committee to work out a compromise and submit to Governor Kasich's approval by June 30th.
Take action now, contact your member(s) of the Ohio House of Representatives and respectfully ask that they support Ohio premium cigar retailers and consumers by supporting the senate budget bill in the conference committee.
Please click
here
for contact information for your member of the Ohio House of Representatives.
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Take Action Now...Write the FDA and Congress
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An Open Letter to Newly Named FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb
by Marvin R. Shanken
Dear Dr. Gottlieb,
Congratulations on your May 9, 2017 appointment as FDA commissioner. You step into this role at a crucial time.
I am writing you on behalf of a small, artisanal industry-the handmade cigar industry-which has a proud heritage dating back more than 200 years. It is composed primarily of small and medium-sized businesses, many of them family owned.
They fear extinction. Not from market factors, nor from consumers rejecting their products, but from their own government. The Obama Administration moved control of the cigar industry to the FDA, and after years of threats and uncertainty the FDA has shackled the cigar industry with a great number of unmanageable operational restrictions, not the least of which is severely limiting the introduction of new products...
To read the full letter, click
here.
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URGENT: WRITE THE FDA
If you're a friend of the cigar, now is the time to write Washington.
The Food and Drug Administration is making it harder and harder for family-owned, handmade cigar companies to produce and sell their products. The new rules are unnecessary and highly political, and they will drive companies out of business, leaving you with fewer choices in your humidor, changing the cigar industry forever.
It needs to stop.
Write the new FDA commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, and President Donald Trump. Let them know how you feel. Tell them handmade cigars deserve an exemption from FDA control. It's time to deregulate the handmade cigar industry and let this small, artisanal and venerable business continue without government interference.
Click
here for sample letter and the rest of the story.
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Act Now..Sign CRA Petition
Take action now, and let your voice be heard. Contact your member(s) in the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate today and ask that they support H.R. 564 and S. 294 respectively.
To sign and send a petition in support of H.R. 564 and S. 294, please click here.
Don't just sign the petition, spread the word. If you are a consumer, send the link to your friends. If you are a retailer, share it with your customer base. Lets grow the numbers and make sure Congress hears from all of us.
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Upcoming Events
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What: Brew City Cigar Festival
When: August 26, 2017
Where: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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What: Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival
When: August 26, 2017
Where: Broomfield, Colorado
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What: Las Vegas Big Smoke
When: November 17-19, 2017
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
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Kiss My Ash
Saturday, June 24
, 2017
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Smooth Draws
Saturday, June 24, 2017
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Note: This week's episode will feature CRA Executive Director Glynn Loope
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Cigar Dave
Saturday, June 24
, 2017
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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Cigar Authority
Saturday, June 24
, 2017
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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Join Cigar Rights of America
Join or renew today, for two years at a
special price, and receive a complimentary
subscription to Cigar Aficionado.
To join or renew now, please click
here
.
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As CRA membership grows across the nation, our impact at all levels follows suit. Join the fight today by becoming a member of
CRA
or
renewing your membership
.
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Donate today, and be a part of history...the history of protecting premium cigars for generations to come.
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