"The Food and Drug Administration announced this morning tough new regulations on the entire U.S. tobacco industry, including the segment that makes and markets premium, handmade cigars.
Despite previous hopes, the premium cigar industry did not get the exemption it—and thousands of cigar lovers across the United States—had lobbied for. The FDA chose Option One, the tougher of the two routes, casting aside any exemption for premium cigars.
If left unchecked, the rulings issued today would take effect in 90 days, or August 8, 2016. The premium cigar industry is preparing a legal response to challenge the FDA ruling."
"We are deeply disappointed that the Food and Drug Administration has decided to regulate premium cigars," said Eric and Bobby Newman, owners of the J.C. Newman Cigar Co. of Tampa, Florida, in a joint statement. "The premium cigar industry is made up of dozens of small, family-owned cigarmakers, like us, along with thousands of small, independent specialty cigar stores across the country. The cost and burdens of onerous regulations threaten the entire industry. We are closely studying the 499 pages of regulations that the FDA issued this morning and are hopeful that we can find a way to save our historic cigar factory in Tampa."
"The FDA's regulation of premium cigars, if left unchecked, would have a devastating impact on retailers and manufacturers alike," said Mark Pursell, CEO of the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association. "Fortunately, the industry's legislative strategy continues to be implemented, including language recently adopted by the Appropriations Agricultural Subcommittee disallowing any funding of FDA regulation of premium cigars and negating the arbitrary predicate date of February 2007, after which any tobacco product would be considered new, and have to go through an expensive and time consuming compliance process. Bills H.R. 662 and S. 441, exempting premium cigars and pipe tobacco, continue to gain co-sponsors as we pursue a legislative solution to unneeded and harmful government intrusion."
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfe...industry-18788
Despite previous hopes, the premium cigar industry did not get the exemption it—and thousands of cigar lovers across the United States—had lobbied for. The FDA chose Option One, the tougher of the two routes, casting aside any exemption for premium cigars.
If left unchecked, the rulings issued today would take effect in 90 days, or August 8, 2016. The premium cigar industry is preparing a legal response to challenge the FDA ruling."
"We are deeply disappointed that the Food and Drug Administration has decided to regulate premium cigars," said Eric and Bobby Newman, owners of the J.C. Newman Cigar Co. of Tampa, Florida, in a joint statement. "The premium cigar industry is made up of dozens of small, family-owned cigarmakers, like us, along with thousands of small, independent specialty cigar stores across the country. The cost and burdens of onerous regulations threaten the entire industry. We are closely studying the 499 pages of regulations that the FDA issued this morning and are hopeful that we can find a way to save our historic cigar factory in Tampa."
"The FDA's regulation of premium cigars, if left unchecked, would have a devastating impact on retailers and manufacturers alike," said Mark Pursell, CEO of the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association. "Fortunately, the industry's legislative strategy continues to be implemented, including language recently adopted by the Appropriations Agricultural Subcommittee disallowing any funding of FDA regulation of premium cigars and negating the arbitrary predicate date of February 2007, after which any tobacco product would be considered new, and have to go through an expensive and time consuming compliance process. Bills H.R. 662 and S. 441, exempting premium cigars and pipe tobacco, continue to gain co-sponsors as we pursue a legislative solution to unneeded and harmful government intrusion."
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfe...industry-18788
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