Premium Cigar News and Notes

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Apr 02

An Overreach: How State-Level Flavor Bans Threaten More Than Just Cigars

In February, CRA reported on the introduction of sweeping flavor bans in Washington and Hawaii that were poised to do more harm than good and blurred the lines between mass-market…

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Apr 02

Why Congress Needs to Pass the CIGAR Act

Last month, Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL), joined by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, introduced H.R. 2111 – “Cutting the Invasive Government’s Arbitrary Regulations (CIGAR) Act”, a bill that would bring…

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Mar 17

The Failure of Prohibition: How Massachusetts’ Flavored Tobacco Ban Fuels the Illicit Market

Efforts to curb tobacco use through prohibitionist policies have once again failed to deliver results. A recent report from a Massachusetts task force found that the illicit market for flavored…

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Mar 06

CRA to Comment on FDA’s Proposed Nicotine Rule: A Threat to Premium Cigars and Common Sense

Cigar Rights of America (CRA) is preparing our comment to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), challenging its proposed rule limiting nicotine content in tobacco products (the Nicotine Rule). This…

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Mar 05

Tariffs Imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China – EU Tariffs on the Horizon

On Monday, March 3rd, President Trump announced his intention to move forward with 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, effective Tuesday, March 4. Under this plan, all imports…

Feb 19

State-Level Tobacco Registries: A Slippery Slope for the Premium Cigar Industry

In recent weeks, state legislatures across the country have been introducing bills to establish or expand tobacco product registries, with a focus on electronic cigarettes and vapor products. While these…

Feb 04

WASHINGTON & HAWAII FLAVOR BANS: A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT FOR PREMIUM CIGARS

In early 2025, Washington state and Hawaii introduced sweeping flavor ban legislation that poses a serious threat to the premium cigar industry. While intended to eliminate flavored tobacco products, these…

Jan 24

CRA Scores Major Victory Against FDA Regulation of Premium Cigars in Landmark Decision

Washington, D.C. (January 24, 2025) – Today, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued its decision in CAA et al. v. FDA. The decision, published…

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Jan 21

FDA Proposes Rule to Limit Nicotine Levels in Combustible Tobacco Products, Excludes Premium Cigars

On Thursday, January 16, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a groundbreaking rule that would limit nicotine levels in all combustible tobacco products—except premium cigars and hookah…

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Jan 16

Federal Judge Blocks FDA’s Graphic Warning Label Rule, Citing Overreach

In a significant decision, a federal judge in Texas has blocked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from enforcing its rule requiring graphic warnings on cigarette packages and advertisements,…

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Cigar News

March 14, 2025

Federal: A bill introduced on the Congressional House floor today seeks to exempt premium, handmade cigars from FDA regulation, as established by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The legislation, being brought forth by Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida’s 19th district, would exclude cigars from its broader “tobacco product” categorization defined by the act.

January 23, 2025

Washington, DC: Cigar Rights of America (CRA) has been hard at work fighting against Generational Tobacco Ban (GTB) policies since they were first introduced at the state level in 2023. While GTB proposals continue to gain traction through normalization and introduction in states across the country, the expansion of these initiatives along with more restrictive regulatory proposals reflects a broader acceptance of extreme regulatory policies being pushed by anti-tobacco advocates. Last week, these extreme measures took another step forward when SB 1165 was introduced in Hawaii's legislature - this bill would establish state-level limits on nicotine content in tobacco products. This introduction represents a watershed moment in tobacco control policy. This first-of-its-kind state legislation could set a precedent for other states to follow, potentially at an even faster pace than GTB policies.

January 23, 2025

Washignton, DC: In a significant development for the premium cigar industry, the Trump Administration has taken steps to ease regulatory pressures by halting key proposed rules. The Administration has moved both the Nicotine Limits Rule and the Tobacco Product Manufacturing Practices (TPMP) Rule to "Long Term Actions," signaling they will not be pursued at this time. This shift provides much-needed relief for the tobacco industry as manufacturers and retailers had been preparing for potentially stringent regulations.

January 17, 2025

Washington, DC: In a bold and unprecedented move, Indiana, Hawaii, and Massachusetts have introduced legislation aimed at implementing a "Nicotine-Free Generation" policy, raising alarms about government overreach, economic harm, and the potential for widespread unintended consequences. Indiana’s Senate Bill 322 (SB 322), Hawaii’s Senate Bill 429 (SB 429), and Massachusetts’ House Bill 2372 and Senate Bill 1317 propose banning the sale of tobacco products to individuals born after specific dates—June 30, 2004, in Indiana—January 1, 2005, in Hawaii—and on or before January 1, 2006 in Massachusetts, effectively creating a permanent prohibition for future generations, regardless of their age.

January 17, 2025

Indiana: Add Indiana to the growing list of states and nations that are considering generational tobacco bans, prohibitions that would make it illegal for future generations to ever legally purchase a tobacco product. On Monday, State Senator Ed Charbonneau, a Republican representing the 5th District of Indiana, introduced Senate Bill No. 322, which would prohibit the sale of tobacco, an e-liquid or an electronic cigarette to any individual born after June 30, 2004.

December 24, 2024

Massachusetts: The push to protect premium cigars and small businesses has reached a critical stage in Massachusetts as plans have been unveiled to introduce a statewide "Nicotine Free Generation" (NFG) bill in January 2025. If passed, this law would prohibit the sale of tobacco products—including premium cigars—to individuals born after the law’s enactment, effectively creating a permanent generational ban.

December 18, 2024

South Carolina: The White House officially designated the Charleston Cigar Factory on East Bay as a national historic landmark. The Department of the Interior's highest recognition of historical, architectural, or archeological significance.

December 10, 2024

Massachusetts: The fight to protect premium cigars and small businesses has reached a critical juncture in Massachusetts. On November 25th, Senator Jason Lewis, alongside Representatives Tommy Vitolo and Kate Lipper-Garabedian, announced plans to introduce a bill in January 2025 that would implement a statewide "Nicotine Free Generation" (NFG) policy. This law, if passed, would prohibit the sale of tobacco products, including premium cigars, to individuals born after the date of the bill’s passage, effectively creating a generational ban.

November 27, 2024

Massachusetts: Across the country, anti-tobacco efforts are gaining momentum, with a growing movement to impose stricter regulations on tobacco products and their use taking shape and spreading rapidly. Massachusetts serves as a prime example of this trend. What began as localized Generational Tobacco Bans in the suburbs of Boston has now evolved into a statewide initiative. Three Massachusetts lawmakers are preparing to introduce a sweeping “Nicotine-Free Generation” bill this January, which seeks to permanently prohibit future generations from purchasing tobacco and nicotine products.

November 27, 2024

Washington, DC: The Surgeon General released a sweeping report on November 19th, outlining persistent disparities in tobacco use and health outcomes across the United States. The report, which builds on findings from a 1998 study, acknowledges significant progress in reducing smoking rates and secondhand smoke exposure over the last several decades but highlights the significantly different outcomes among various demographic groups.

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