Cody Carden

CAFTA-DR Agreement and Premium Cigars: Commerce, Culture, and Craft

By Cody Carden / October 31, 2023

WASHINGTON, DC – As we approach the 20th anniversary of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), CRA wanted to reflect on this landmark trade agreement. CAFTA-DR has proved to…

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Alabama Exacts Revenge Over Tennessee, Celebrates With Cigars

By Cody Carden / October 25, 2023

Alabama: A tide of cigar smoke rolled over Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Saturday, after the No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide’s vindictive victory over the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers. 

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FDA’s Flavored Cigars and Menthol in Cigarettes Rule Sent to OMB for Review

By Cody Carden / October 18, 2023

WASHINGTON, DC – FDA’s efforts to address the issue of flavored cigars and menthol in cigarettes took its next step last week when the United States Food and Drug Administration…

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Reliving the night Tennessee football fans smoked their first cigars – ever

By Cody Carden / October 18, 2023

Tennessee: Eli Sparks enjoys the aroma while his dad, Johnny, smokes a Padron 7000. Eli doesn’t smoke, but simply smelling his dad’s burning cigar takes Eli back to the night he…

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FAIRBANKS, ALASKA RAISES TOBACCO TAX

By Cody Carden / October 17, 2023

Alaska: Earlier this week, the Fairbanks City Council voted to raise the city’s tax on tobacco products from 8 percent to 20 percent of the wholesale price, a move that…

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Antiques Roadshow guest stunned to discover the value of an old cigar found in her attic which was owned by a VERY famous person

By Cody Carden / October 17, 2023

United Kingdom: The lady had also brought along an old cigar in a cardboard tube saying: ‘As you can see it’s addressed to Morris [her father in-law] from Mr Churchill’.…

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Central American Culture’s Influence on the Premium Cigar Industry

By Cody Carden / October 15, 2023

Across Latin America, where ancient traditions and rich culture intertwine, lies the premium cigar industry’s heart and soul. The story of culture in the Americas and its profound influence on…

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U.S. Tobacconists Report Increased Sales in 2023

By Cody Carden / October 3, 2023

According to a recent Cigar Aficionado article, the majority of U.S. tobacconists report increased sales this year. The cigar industry is experiencing a boom, with 69.1% of U.S. cigar retailers…

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Tony Gomez Elected to CRA Board of Directors

By Cody Carden / September 19, 2023

By Cody Carden – Sept. 7, 2023 Tony Gomez Appointed to the CRA Board of Directors ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Board of Directors of Cigar Rights of America (CRA) announced today…

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Mehta Decision Provides CRA Support on the Hill

By Cody Carden / September 14, 2023

By Cody Carden – 9/14/2023 On August 9, 2023, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta fundamentally altered the tobacco regulation landscape when he struck down all U.S. Food & Drug Administration…

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