Premium Cigar News and Notes

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Dec 21

A Year of Convergence: What 2025 Revealed About the Future of Premium Cigars

As we begin 2026, it’s worth pausing to take stock of what 2025 told us about the state of the premium cigar industry—and the forces shaping its future. 2025 was…

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Dec 18

How the Big Beautiful Bill Is Driving New State Tobacco Tax Increases

Last year, President Trump signed the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) into law. Among other provisions, the bill cut significant funding for federal social programs, shifting substantial financial obligations onto state…

Dec 18

Indian Parliament Proposes Major Tax Increase on Tobacco Products

On December 1st, the Sansad (the Parliament of India), introduced two tax bills that would significantly raise levies on tobacco products, as the national General Services Tax frameworks near expiration.…

Dec 15

A Bulwark Against the Expansion of Nicotine Free Generation in Massachusetts

In early October, South Hadley, Massachusetts, became the 18th town in the Commonwealth to adopt a Nicotine Free Generation (NFG) policy. The unanimous vote by the town board of health…

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Dec 09

CRA Announces the 2025 Winter Freedom Sampler

Cigar Rights of America is proud to announce the release of the 2025 Winter Freedom Sampler, a limited-edition collection showcasing some of the most acclaimed cigars in the world. Curated…

Dec 09

COP11 Concludes Without Major Tobacco Regulatory Progress

The Eleventh Conference of Parties (COP11) to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control took place November 17-22, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland marking one of the most important…

Nov 28

Intensified Advocacy Amidst Critical Trade Decisions

The premium cigar industry is entering one of its most consequential periods, facing major challenges in international trade and domestic regulation. CRA is fully engaged in Washington, California, and state…

Nov 21

New Legislative Proposals in New Jersey and Florida Show Growing State-Level Pressure on Tobacco Policy

New Legislative Proposals in New Jersey and Florida Show Growing State-Level Pressure on Tobacco Policy As we move through the final stretch of the year, two new state bills have…

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Nov 21

FDA Appeals District Court Decision on Graphic Warning Rule

On October 27th, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) appealed the decision from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia that struck down its 2020 rule…

Nov 10

Maldives Adopts World’s Only National Nicotine-Free Generation Policy

The Maldives, a tiny island nation located in the Indian Ocean, became the world’s first country to implement a Nicotine-Free Generation (NFG) policy on November 1st. In adopting the policy,…

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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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