Premium Cigar News and Notes

Look here for current cigar articles, news alerts and more

Oct 14

The Failure to Adapt: How the WHO Is ‘Poisoning Good Science’—and What’s at Stake for Premium Cigars

At a global forum in Brussels, Clive Bates, Director of Counterfactual and a longtime public health advocate, delivered a blunt warning: the World Health Organization’s approach to tobacco control is…

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Oct 14

CRA and SBA Advocacy Challenge Economic and Regulatory Impact of FDA’s Nicotine Rule

On January 15, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register titled “Tobacco Product Standard for Nicotine Yield of Cigarettes and Certain…

Sep 29

Mexico’s “Healthy Tax” Proposal Targets Tobacco With Sharp Increases

This month, Mexico’s Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit proposed sweeping tax increases on products deemed harmful or unhealthy. This proposal includes significant tax hikes on tobacco products as part…

Sep 29

Cigar Rights of America Urges Delay of California’s Unflavored Tobacco List Deadline

On September 23rd, Cigar Rights of America (CRA) formally requested a delay in the rollout of California’s Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL) in a letter to the Attorney General. In the…

Sep 26

CRA Seeks Clarity on ‘Rushed’ UTL Regulations; Urges DOJ to Delay Deadline

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA (September 23, 2025) – Today, Cigar Rights of America (CRA) sent a letter to the Office of the Attorney General of California (AG) regarding the Department of Justice’s (DOJ)…

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Sep 16

Congress Returns & CRA Continues the Push for a Federal Definition of Premium Cigars

Over the summer, while Congress was on its annual August recess and Members were back in their districts meeting with constituents, Cigar Rights of America (CRA) stayed hard at work.…

Sep 16

FDA’s Graphic Warning Labels Struck Down Again

The Latest Ruling On August 29th, Judge Lisa G. Wood of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia struck down the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA)…

Sep 03

The Netherlands Proposes Plain Packaging for Premium Cigars

Earlier this year, the Dutch government proposed a plan to impose plain packaging requirements on premium cigars. Under the draft proposal, all cigar boxes would have to be covered in…

Sep 02

Science, Proportion, and the Lesson of Premium Cigars

The long fight over FDA’s push to regulate premium cigars shows what happens when science gets ignored and politics take over. For years, CRA has pointed to government-backed research proving…

Aug 20

The UTL: California’s New Tobacco Red Tape

California has never been shy about wielding its regulatory pen, but its latest maneuver demonstrates just how far officials are willing to stretch their authority. On August 6th, the California…

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Cigar News

June 10, 2025

Massachusetts: We are living in times where the demand for transparency and the mistrust of government is as high as it has been in generations. Local, state and federal elected officials and policymakers are under the microscope daily to make sure they respect democracy and the will of the people.

April 28, 2025

Wisconsin: New legislation aims to allow new cigar bars in the Badger State state for the first time in more than 15 years.

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 21, 2025

Washington, DC: 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 tobacco—to 0.7 mg of nicotine per gram of product, a threshold considered "non-addictive." This rule, which excludes vapes and other non-combustible products, marks a significant step in the FDA’s efforts to reduce nicotine addiction among smokers.

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.

January 16, 2025

Washington, DC: 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, a regulation that was set to take effect in February 2026. The ruling by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker is the latest development in a contentious legal battle between tobacco companies and the FDA over the extent of its regulatory authority under the Tobacco Control Act (TCA).

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.

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