What Tom Price's Resignation Means to the Cigar Industry

What Tom Price’s Resignation Means to the Cigar Industry

By CigarManDan - 10/4/2017

 

For the Cigar Industry, this one falls under "SMH" in total disbelief.  The resignation of Tom Price as Health and Human Services Secretary is a major blow and represents the very real possibility that any hope of fending off strict FDA Deeming Regulations may be lost forever.  Just when the Cigar loving world saw a light of freedom ahead in the murky tunnel of FDA over-reach, the light appears to have gone dark.

Since the FDA falls under Human Services, the Cigar industry appeared to have found a friend in Price.  As a Congressman, Price had previously voted with Republicans against the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, empowering the FDA with regulating tobacco products.  

This legislation represents a potential death blow to the Cigar industry, requiring increased data on each new Cigar line, down to the individual size and style (length and thickness).  This would represent unreasonably high costs to an industry that simply does not enjoy the same types of revenue that is generated from the addictive cigarette industry.  Further, package warnings and the banning of customers from the freedom of walk-in humidors are additional restrictions the Tobacco Act contains.

As Secretary, Price had authorization to support the law in its current form, limit the current restrictions that it contains, or abolish the restrictions completely.  The budding Cigar industry had desperately held out hope for the latter.  With Price's use of non-commercial travel leading to his resignation, the hope of a complete elimination or a significant easing of restrictions would now seem unlikely at best.

Don J. Wright has been named interim Secretary following Price's departure.  Wright, also a physician, has been with HHS for over a decade, and has served as deputy assistant secretary for health and director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.  As Director, Wright oversaw programs like Healthy People 2020, which set the framework for public health priorities based on 10-year national health objectives.  With these credentials, Wright would seem anything but the champion of reversing restrictions and promoting Cigar enthusiast rights.

It would appear that the permanent replacement as HHS Secretary may be Seema Velma, a former president, CEO, and founder of SVC Inc., a national health policy consulting firm.  Velma also has close ties to Vice President Mike Pence.  She worked closely with Pence on Medicaid expansion when he was the governor of Indiana. Again, Velma does not seem like the optimal proponent to easing or eliminating tobacco regulation.

However, there is some good news for the Cigar industry in all of this uncertainty.  In late July, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced a near-three-year delay for cigar makers to be required to get agency approval for any product marketed after February 15, 2007. This moves the deadline from November 8, 2018 to August 8, 2021 to keep a non-grandfathered product on the market. While it’s not a win, nor an end to regulations by any means, it is a delay the cigar industry will gladly embrace.

According to the FDA, the agency will issue guidance describing a new enforcement policy taking these dates into account.  The changes will not apply to provisions of the final rule where the compliance deadlines already have passed, such as mandatory age and photo-ID.  The FDA also said this will not affect future deadlines for other provisions of the rule such as warning statements and ingredient listings.

In a joint statement IPCPR CEO Mark Pursell and CRA Executive Director Glynn Loope said "this has been a long and complicated process, which is not over.  However, we commend the objective approach announced today by the Commissioner of the FDA.  This aside, the delay will surely allow additional time for the effects of the cigar industry's persistent lobbying, advertising, and member communications to take greater root, hopefully yielding the desired results.  However, the loss of such a great sympathizer and proponent in Tom Price is a clear loss to Cigar enthusiasts everywhere, and one that hopefully will not signal an end to their hopes of eliminating such crippling FDA restrictions.

Major Impediments to the Cuban Cigar Industry

 

With President Obama’s just-completed historic trip to Cuba, he has become the first American president to visit since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. In light of this historic and controversial event, it is important to highlight some underlying issues that lurk behind the scenes and threaten the influx of fine Cigars into the American economy.

First, we are clearly at the beginning of a long process to reform Cuba from state control to a democracy.  The primary reason is that Raul Castro has put his military leaders into key government and industrial positions of control.  Once the Castro's are out of the picture (Raul is turning 85 this year) these leaders will likely move from a military controlled government to one similar of Batista, or even Egypt today.  These captains of industry will be hailed as champions of Democracy, and the facilitators of real social change, when in fact not much will have changed at all, they will be incredibly wealthy men, and the people will continue to suffer.

Obama's trip will be looked back as the catalyst to social upheaval in Cuba, and the people will enjoy the modest benefits of meager socio-economic change.  Sadly, the human rights policies that were so woefully cruel under the Castro regimes will make any minor advancement in a Democratic direction seem like a true social metamorphosis to the people. 

Hopefully, this will come with some trade-offs.  If Congress can move forward, and find concrete ways to validate any real progress, it will be a solid start.  If the monetary infusions from large American companies made into Cuba can be a tide that raises all ships, and if some of those ships are the rowboats and dinghy’s of the long suffering people, then maybe the strategy is worth pursuing.  It will be a complete leap of faith on our part, with the hope that in spite of corrupt government and corporate leaders, some change will be better than no change at all.  I think Obama saw this, and thought that he had nothing to lose by kicking off the process, while at the same time securing his own legacy.

Second, there has to be a commitment to the advancement of political reforms and civil liberties for the Cuban people before we pursue real economic and trade relations. Congress should assess where we are and will need to go, before advancing further legislation intended to normalize relations. No long-term advancement of a US-Cuban relationship can be sustained without this being the central and defining tenant.  Further, without a central focus on improvements to human rights, exactly what would have really changed, and as such, why do anything now?  Clearly, this has to be the path forward, but it may be a very bumpy road that will probably lead us in a series of circles before any sustained positive change is realized. 

Third, simultaneous to the president’s effort to improve this relationship, another wing of the administration is working on avoiding regulations that could complicate and potentially thwart any current or future progress.

 Since Dec. 17, 2014 when the president surprised the nation with his initiative to improve relations with Cuba, the one consistent image of the island nation has been the cigar. References to Cuban cigars, as a staple of their economy and international symbol of the country, began to surface throughout our national media. The immediate discussion turned to “When will we be able to get Cuban cigars into the United States?”.  Rules on this were being addressed by the Treasury Department recently, and Americans traveling to Cuba in recent months have been permitted to return with up to $100 worth of cigars for personal consumption.  During a February speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Cuban Trade Minister Rodrigo Malmierca called upon the administration to allow for exports of various Cuban products, specifically noting cigars.

On the other side of the Beltway, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hatching sinister regulation targeted at premium cigars, which will decimate an exploding industry both in the US and in many Caribbean nations.  There are estimated to be 250,000 jobs within 50 Cigar manufacturing facilities in Cuba.  That only represents the tip of the FDA's death spear, as over 300,000 jobs form a bustling cigar industry in Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.  This misguided legislation will finally kill off the US Cigar industry.  Tampa, Florida, who once thrived with over 80 Cigar Manufacturing plants in 1920, has now dwindled to a single Cigar manufacturing company. The bureaucrats at the FDA will not only stamp out the only remaining history of a once founding industry there, but they will also completely decimate the primary export of these poor Caribbean nations.

Twice, in a joint letter to six federal agencies, including Commerce, Agriculture, State, Homeland Security and the National Security Council, each respective ambassador to the United States from these three nations has voiced their concern over the FDA effort to regulate premium handmade cigars.

The ambassadors noted, “No regulatory measure should threaten such jobs, and hence raise the specter of political and economic consequences within our region.” The FDA’s own notice in the Unified Regulatory Agenda states, “This regulatory action will be likely to have international trade and investment effects.”

Jorge Alberto Milla Reyes, ambassador to the United States from Honduras, has clearly defined the impact of cigar regulation. He stated, “There are, indeed, international trade and economic implications with regulating premium cigars from Honduras and throughout Latin America. The government of Honduras values the investment and source of employment provided by the premium cigar industry, and knows well how it provides for over 35,000 families in Honduras and 300,000 in the region. We cannot underestimate how this contributes to stability, especially at this time of concern over such issues as immigration and security.”

The premium cigar industry also represents thousands of American jobs, through more than 2,000 retail businesses, and a supplier and logistics network that stretches from South Miami to the sales channels of the North East.  It is hundreds of family farms throughout small town America. These craft businesses could not sustain the crushing financial weight of federal regulation.

Regulating and attacking an industry enjoying such amazing growth, which is more of an art form than public health issue, is counter-intuitive to the efforts of Vice President Joe Biden to advance economic and trade opportunities. The FDA could single-handedly destabilize the sustained efforts to grow and advance a growing cottage industry.

In my review of the FDA proposal, I found this:

"Under this regulatory proposal, new cigar blends would have to submit to the FDA for “pre-market approval,” through a costly and cumbersome application process, that could take years for processing. One estimate is that it could take 5,000 hours, just for the application. And because of a “predicate date” of 2007, all cigars since then coming into the U.S. market, whether Cuban or from the rest of the Latin America and Caribbean Basin, would be subject to a “new product” set of standards to enter, which few could afford. It would destroy the boutique sector of the industry, and halt any limited release commemorative cigars. The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, in a comment letter to the regulatory docket, found FDA’s Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis “deficient — because it does not adequately describe the impacts on all types of newly covered small entities.” I could not agree more. Small businesses in America, Cuba and throughout Latin America would be devastated".

So, in summary, we have major issues that threaten the welcome news of potentially normalized relations with the island nation of Cuba.  There are threats from within the Cuban nation itself, and homegrown Governmental threats right here within our own capital.  Where in the former, we are facing the familiar face of greed, corruption, and exploitation, in the latter we face the same threats from an agency tasked with protecting our nation's health from real threats, and not controlling the systematic dilution of private industry both foreign and domestic. 

In spite of both these seemingly overwhelming problems, the hope is that we have hit on a foundation to build a better future for all involved.  We hope that Cuba can find a way to shed governmental industrial control and improve the lives of its people through civil rights advancements and booming economic growth.  We remain optimistic that the historic presidential trip will allow cooler heads to prevail in Washington, recognizing the Cigar industry as a safe form of pleasure, and not a misrepresented health crisis orchestrated to expand bureaucratic control.  The lives of so many within the Cigar industry will depend on it, along with our love of the incredible products they produce.

Great Cigars Coming Soon From Cuba? Wait, Not So Fast....

    

OK, thank you Mr. Obama.  Since you announced the easing of restrictions on travel to Cuba, and access to fine Cuban spirits and tobacco, people want to know what this means to the Cuban Cigar industry, and most importantly, their direct access to it.  My phone, email, social media, and postal box have all been ablaze with that one single question. 

Well I don’t want to disillusion anyone, and in spite of what my GOP thumping friends and family may accuse me of, I do not have direct access to the Administration, and do not participate in creating International policy.  However, please allow me to expand on some of the things I do know about this landmark change and how it is affecting worldwide Cigar markets.

First, I content that the very thing that directly crippled the Cigar industry in Cuba, is the very thing that has helped it thrive over the last several decades.  I will go a bit further, by saying that the Unites States embargo of Cuba is the very thing that has saved and preserved an industry, who by all rights, should have faded into pages of history long ago.

Why is this and how did it happen?  Well, Cuban Cigars have taken on an almost mystical reverence in this country.  Let’s face it, most Cigar smokers know very little about materials, construction, blending, composition, aging, growing technologies, and vertical integration.  They have virtually no understanding of how a new box or product line arrives at their local tobacco retailer. 

When a friend, and we have all had them, was able to sneak a Cuban through our borders either North or South, and we toasted that Cigar with a childlike anticipation, we exclaimed it as a near biblical experience.  Maybe it wasn't actually due to the flavor, draw, or burn of an amazing Cigar, but simply because well… hell, it was a Cuban right?  They have to be great; we were always programmed that they would be, but were they really all that we were led to believe?  Well, no it sure wasn’t, and there were several very good reasons why:

1.  Limited Ingredients:  Cuban Cigars are made strictly from Cuban tobaccos.  That means while huge operations throughout Central America scour the world to find the finest binders and fillers that compose a great Cigar, Cubans are limited to only using tobaccos they themselves can cultivate and manufacture.  This is a significant disadvantage.

2.  Loss of Experience & Skill:  Thanks to Mr. Castro and his Marxist policies in relation to corporate independence and economic growth, the count of viable and surviving Cigar factories have dwindled in Cuba.  What became of this knowledge and experience?  It departed with the growers, rollers, and farmers that fled to other neighboring countries in hopes of a better life.  Not only did they take their talents but they also took with them the very growing seeds, the inner life force of the Cuban Cigar industry.

3. Lack of Competition:  With a lack of competition in the Cuban market, there was nothing to keep the fat cats on their toes, guarding against upstart rivals and investing in their own infrastructure.  Without this motivation, their organic evolution stopped, trapped somewhere in a time warp of the early to mid-1960s. 

4.      No Reinvestment:  You can imagine how this choked off manufacturer re-investments back into their businesses, not only due to the lack of competitive motivation, but also because of the unpredictable and psychotic Cuban government.  It really isn't sound business logic to invest millions into an industry where the government could step in and take possession of all assets and any second.  These companies had other options, and they used them.  Yes, Cigar production is an age-old art, heavily rooted in the talents of hand-rolled artists.  However, technology has showed us that it provides a consistent quality of product.  Not necessarily in the mechanical rolling of Cigars, but in the Quality systems that guarantee a smooth and defined taste, replicated in each product line, down to the very stick. Many of the manufacturers who had operations rooted in Cuba and extending to other Central American markets, chose to put those reinvestment funds into the other countries, and not into an aging and unstable Cuba.

To summarize, the Cuban embargo, the mass exodus of qualified and experienced manufacturers, the underground transport of the Cuban Cigar seed, and stagnation of it’s infrastructure, has allowed the industry paradigm to shift, taking root and thriving in the countries of Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominica, and others.  The Quality Control, robotics, and vertical integration quickly became prevalent in these new emerging Cigar markets while primarily bypassing Cuba.

When comparing the taste and quality of these new products against Cubans, not only would I put the higher end Diamond Crown, Opus X, or Julius Caesar Cigar up against the best Cohiba that Cuba has to offer, I could easily choose from a wide variety of very affordable Arturo Fuentes, Padron, Rocky Patel, or Perdomo Cigars that I know would give the Cuban Cigar makers absolute fits.

I do not know if the position of US Senator Marco Rubio is valid, as he contends that the relaxing of the Cuban restrictions only serves to make the Castro regime more powerful.  Again, that is a little too political for me to intelligently argue.  I do know that all the questions that I am being asked about fresh access to Cuban Cigars can be easily answered with a simple, “It doesn't matter that much really”.  Maybe now we will appreciate all of the hard work and dedication of these Central American growers and the operations that they have built.  Their products really are sensational.

I can only imagine about what our greatest American ambassador to Cuba would have thought about what has happened to its struggling Cigar industry.  Knowing what I do about Earnest “Papa” Hemingway, I would bet he would take a few puffs of today’s Cuban, spit and say, “Well that’s a damn shame”.   I sadly would have to agree with him.

Until next time, keep em long and lit.

A Great Cigar for the Tillerman

Well hello friends, the Cigar Man Dan is back Poolside Humidor 1 and looking forward to another fun filled, action packed summer Cigar season.  Although the Cigar season lasts longer than most of the year here in Central Florida, only 90-minutes from the Cigar Capital of Ybor City, it does get cold and the your favorite Cigar Man has developed a significant case of “Florida Wimpy”, so my winter Cigar volume is curtailed a bit with both visits to Garage Humidor 2 and the local Cigar Bars within a reasonable distance.

So much to discuss, but let’s kick it off with the nice Alec Bradley Prensado Cigar paired with another glass of the fine Teddy Roosevelt Rough Rider Straight Bourbon that I posted up to Face Book last Friday.  What a pair, so perfect together.  Alec Bradley is a Cigar Company founded by Alan Rubin, who started back in the lean days of the mid-90s while trying to hawk his Cigars on Golf Courses and outdoor events.  After shooting a pretty low financial score on the greens, and realizing he needed to break into the higher-end Cigar shops, in 2007 he created the industry’s first triangular shaped cigar called the Tempus which put him solidly on the Cigar manufacturing map.  He named his company after his sons Alec and Bradley and has really grown since 2007.  In 2009 he created this evening’s Prensado which is in my opinion one of the best Cigar values on the market today. This is one gorgeous Cigar, beautiful dark wrapper, square shaped, finely shaped head.  It provides deep, rich, flavor that has been described as nutty, coffee, and a hint of chocolate.  I simply get lost in these flavors and completely enjoy the clean and easy burn of a great tasting well crafted Cigar.

Quick shift.  Ok, let’s talk about that Malaysian airliner.  I really feel deeply for the families that lost loved ones.  I would love nothing more than to find the wreckage, retrieve the boxes, and identify where the pilots went wrong.  The odds of that happening were practically nil from the start. This does not look like a terrorist act.  There are far too many indicators here that simply don't support it.  The biggest evidence that this was an accident is that to date, there has not been a crazy, deranged, psychopathic, fanatical group coming forward to lay claim to it as an act of terrorism.

I have flown over the Indian Ocean no less than a dozen times.  Believe me when I tell you that this ocean is massive.  It is not uncommon for navigational equipment to malfunction or fail.  If electronic equipment became unusable, in that ocean it would not be difficult to lose bearings, miscalculate the horizon, and chart a course to open sea oblivion.  So sad.

Having worked at Diego Garcia, a very strategic British territory no more than 5-miles long and 1-mile wide for almost two years of my life. I can tell you that the chances of locating this aircraft is slim at best, even with strong batteries delivering a clean consistent ping.  The search areas, those little rectangular shaped outlines drawn on an aerial overlay map, are over 1,000 square miles each with hundreds, if not thousands, of square miles between them.  If that isn't bad enough, the ocean floor can be up to 20 miles deep.  We currently have limited technological options for submersing that deep, let alone accessing the wreckage and dealing with potential shifting of aircraft pieces, strong undersea currents, silt and floor material, and near zero visibility available to retrieve the boxes.  

Let me explain why this whole thing really irks me, and believe me it took some time to figure this out.  It has been several weeks, with one claim of hope, followed by a period of calm, only to be repeated with another claim of hope.  I feel for the people managing this incredibly difficult multinational mobilization, but they did no service to themselves by not explaining the odds up front, announcing ping transmissions before validating them as craft authentic, and failing to explain what would really need to occur if they were lucky enough to locate the aircraft. This is not fair to the families of the victims, after having suffered such terrible losses already, they deserve honesty. They do not deserve to have their chain pulled repeatedly by political figureheads pressured to declare bureaucratic victories. That just plain sucks, and really pisses me off.  

Speaking of Diego Garcia, that is one interesting place..  As a Dept. of Defense contractor trying to depart the island, it was always a bit of a shell game adventure.  You literally have to pack all your luggage nightly, head down for a midnight flight, only to find out you had been bumped by a soldier, or pallets of garbage, or even by empty water buffaloes (water trailers). The last straw was getting bumped by a horse, which was pretty darn humiliating.  The best part is that when you were bumped, you had to hope that there was an available BLQ to move back into for the night, or you got to enjoy the friendly comforts of a cold gymnasium floor while sleeping on a luggage pillow.  Eeeek.

One interesting quirk, imagine 10,000 male sailors from two different Naval commands, and 120 service women total inhabiting the same small patch of island, ya; exactly.  The mismatch between the hunky guys and the band-camp looking service women made little sense, well not until you are there for a few weeks.  Then they went from burly, to “not too terrible”, to downright attractive.  

Since I was always there temporarily, no women would even speak to me, they had the obvious pick of full timers, and the Filipino girls were mostly looking for a better living arrangement than the mundane trailer camps provided.  It was a pretty lonely existence there.  I did get hit on, but ironically it was by a British Naval Security girl on my way out to a waiting C-151 bound for Singapore blasting ice cold air and hard rocking Steppenwolf's "Born to be Wild".  This of course was my last trip to the island.  God has a really interesting sense of humor.

While we are covering great music, I have Yusuf Islam playing in the background.  Not familiar with his work?  Well you may know him by his stage name, Cat Stevens.  He is one of my greatest musical influences, and was the reason I learned to play the guitar.  He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last week which is a well deserved honor for this talented and peace loving artist.  You have to admire his resolve, as one of the largest and biggest selling acts of the 1970s, and he at the very height of his world wide fame, he simply walked away from the music industry.  Why did he do it? Well, that is Cigar column material for a future article, but it was astonishing. 

I have always respected what he did, and I am really not sure that I would have that type of courage, hell I’m sure I wouldn't.  I have been enjoying his music since my cousin Kat played Tea for the Tillerman, his defining album, while cruising around in her early 70s Camaro.  The hits kept coming, Moonshadow, Father and Son, Morning has Broken, Peace Train, all pure classics.  I never realized it till now, but it was "Kat" that turned me onto "Cat".  Well, thank you both; it has made a great difference throughout my life.

Cat Stevens was inducted into the Hall on the same stage as KISS last week. Could we find a greater mismatch of musical styles and influences?  Well, I'm glad to see that God still has a really interesting sense of humor.

Thank you to editor Rick, as he really helped me with this one.  Till next time, keep em long and lit.

Tampa Cigar Festival 2013… Unleashed!!   by CigarManDan – 12/21/2013

                                                   

In December 2008, at the very start of the great Financial Collapse, I was faced with the reality of being laid off from a healthy 6-figure salary in a midtown skyscraper in Rockefeller Center, New York City.  This was explained to me at the time as “downsizing”, but we now see it as the eradication of mid-level management based simply on salary levels.  Basically, management of my 126-year old construction company, then the largest privately held construction management company in the world, chose to put 150 Vice Presidents to work for a living in order to protect their golden salary and bonus system.  Ah, bygones.  I am in a much better place now.

The biggest disappointments weren't even close to being financial for me.  Gone was Central Park’s Poets Walk in springtime, the wonderful Dim-Sum houses of Chinatown, the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station for Happy Hour martini’s, followed by a visit to Cipriani’s directly across the way for dinner.  Bye-bye to LeBar Bat on West 57^th, Monkey Bar, and the Iron District.  So-long to Chelsea Piers, and of course my beloved 330 section of Madison Square Garden for so many Rangers home games.  No need for me to even mention the women, right?  Seriously, unless you’re from New York, or have been there during the spring season, how can one begin to explain the concept of Model and Fashion week?  One week each year where thousands of beautiful fashion models invade the City with no idea where they are going, bra sizes that far outscore their IQ levels, all in need of personal guides since telling them “Take the F train to Bryant Park” is like asking them to chart a course to the International Space Station.  Maybe those “Talent Scout” business cards that I had printed helped a bit too, I dunno.  

As I have mentioned before within this very Cigar space, in moving to the Retirement Capital of the world known as Central Florida, and finding the doorway to Cigar Import & Sales for all of North America right here in Tampa; well it emerged as a golden “silver lining” to my relocation from civilization.  It yanked me right in, and proved a welcome distraction from all that I so badly missed, especially those Ranger games!! One sec while I compose myself… … ok, I’m good.  Where, uh.. right, Tampa. 

Well, one of the amazing things that I loved here was the abundantly stocked Cigar stores, chocked full of fresh, flavorful, and amazing product inventory.  The Cigar establishment was so knowledgeable too, a friendly bunch of old souls that were more than willing to offer insights to a transplanted Yankee with so many dumb questions.  I was sucking in the information like a cribbed toddler opening their first E-Trade account on an iPad!  Needless to say, they kept bringing up the Annual Tampa Cigar Festival, a must attend event for the aficionado in training.  I had planned on attending for the last 2-years but timing and business travel kept getting in the way.  I swore that this year was going to be different, and it was.

I was sure to get my hands on two VIP tickets to the Cigar Dave Show event and counted the days while watching it selling out only days after ticket sales opened.  Shortly, I would see why.   I counted the days and was happy to see that it would coordinate nicely with my Brother-in-Law’s visit to Florida for Thanksgiving.  He arrived the Friday night before Thanksgiving, we sent the girls on a spa-day, loaded his Dodge Charger Rental car, and off we went. 

A 3ft Wide Pot of Hot Paella Yummo!

Upon arrival, a series of very friendly young ladies welcomed us, and provided us with our VIP packages, made up of badges, gift items, and 7 premium cigars.  We then headed to the VIP Tent and the set of the Cigar Dave show.  It was easy to find, we followed our ears to the fenced off VIP area where the Cigar Dave Brass Band was belting out smooth jazz tunes.  Upon providing our credentials, we entered the tent and headed directly for the grub.  Man did it look good.  I am not talking your average BBQ type fare here; I am talking fine Caribbean-Spanish delicacies like Chilean Sea bass, stuffed Citrus chicken, Spanish Paella Rice, and dirty roasted potatoes.  From there, we migrated to one of two open bars under the tent for locally brewed tap beers which went down all too easily in the 85 degree outdoor seating.  I was so impressed with what Cigar Dave and the Festival had put together, and we hadn’t even sparked my first fine Cigar yet!!

One very satisfying side effect was sitting at a table with a Boston Red Sox fan named Dale, who was sporting a genuine Sox Jersey, and his lovely lady.  This severely irritated my Yankee loving Bro-in-Law who that very morning stumbled out of his bed wearing a Yankee tee, pinstripe jammies, and Yank slippers.  I mean really, you can’t make this stuff up!

Outdoor Set of the Cigar Dave Radio Show

After eating quickly and before the General’s Radio show started, we went out to visit the Cigar Manufacturer and vendor tents outside in the park.  Every major and small name in the industry was represented all with fantastic cigars and accessories at heavily discounted event prices.  I picked up a Jetline 4-Burner lighter and Xikar Xi2 double malachite cutters for about 40% off the retail prices.  This will be a nice Beach set that I can use as the warm spring weather returns along with my currently faded tan.

The Cigar Dave Show Orchestra

Back at the VIP tent, we watched Cigar Dave interview virtually every big name in the industry.  The H. Upman company, the Fuente family, and the Padron group were all on the show.  They discussed their classic offerings, new directions and plans, and upcoming products.  We were finally able to light up one of the premium cigars and talked to other Cigar enthusiasts about their favorite stand-bys, likes, and experiences.  Even Mr. Yankee and the Boston World Series Champion were enjoying conversation together.  Amazing what good Cigars and booze can do huh?

We watched the General’s Cigar Lieutenant’s Deep Fry an entire Turkey in 45 minutes during the show.  Had an opportunity to meet Dave’s Cigar Dog Sultan, and even heard from the organization that training Sultan that Is now authorized by the Government to product companion pets for returning Soldiers with PTSD.  They even presented a soldier that is currently suffering with a dog at a cost of $42,000. I couldn’t leave the show without thanking the Soldier for his service and wishing him well on his recovery.  I will be sure to check on him throughout the year.

Festival View from the VIP Area

                                                                                                             

A Jam-Packed VIP Tent

This was a fantastic day.  What an amazing experience.  It had everything, Cigar knowledge and discussion, great smokes, good people, top shelf booze and cold beer, outstanding food, great music, gorgeous women, and good new friends.  I haven’t enjoyed myself like that in quite some time and was able to make some new contacts in the industry for this budding Cigar blog.  I want to thank the City of Tampa, the officials for the Festival, the Columbia restaurant, the Manufacturers and Vendors, and all of my fellow Cigar lovers for such a great experience.  I can’t wait for the 2014 Cigar Festival in downtown Tampa!

The Death of Liberty – One Cigar at a Time

The Death of Liberty – One Cigar at a Time

By:  Dan Mirabella, aka “CigarManDan”    -    10-20-2013

There aren't many things that really get my blood boiling these days, short of maybe Sophia Vergara and good Indian food.  But something has really tripped my trigger lately and it is completely driving me, well pretty much nuts.

Those political representatives, that band of senile nitwits, that we voluntarily place in office to serve and protect our civil rights and liberties under the constitution of our great nation, have once again joined to remove yet another of our freedoms and liberties.  These great thinkers of our time; have been totally jobbed by the power drunken fools at the FDA.  As a result, these Pork minded meat-heads are now performing the classic over-stretch; as they now regulate the Cigars we smoke, the way that we shop for them, how we order them, pretty much everything. 

                                                                         

H.R.1256

Or as it’s known by its formal name, “The Tobacco Control Act” reached the floor and was brought to vote back on June 12, 2009.  The purpose of this bill was claimed to be the protection of the public health by providing the Food and Drug Administration with certain authority to regulate tobacco products. 

Protect children you say?  Stop the spread of Tobacco products among teens?  Prevent manufacturers from using additives to keep people addicted?  Educate on the true dangers?   Man, all that sounds so good that every conscientious and reasonable politician would say “Sure, hell yes, what a great idea”.  Take the vote, pound the gavel, and then we are off to the local watering hole for a few stiff drinks on our way to a nice cozy, lobbyist sponsored dinner.  Sorry folks, there is a lot more to this story.

Our Rights

Well, guess what got buried in this health forward, sensible legislation?  They expanded the provisions of this law to include rolled tobaccos, which our beloved fine Cigars now fall, within this vague and expertly shrouded law.  Are you also now confused based on the source rationale that they provided above?  Well, me too. 

Last time I checked, I have never seen children or even teens trying to sneak into a Cigar Store Humidor to buy a $10-$20 fine Nicaraguan or Ecuadorian hand rolled Cigar.  I have never had a teen ask me if I could reach the upper shelves of the Humidor to hand them down a Churchill, or Toro, or Presidente style Cigar.  Maybe someone somewhere has seen a rebellious group of kids sneak off into the woods to spark up a fine Davidoff, or a Rocky Patel, or Corona brand Cigar, but I sure as heck haven’t.  Further, a significant condition of this law is the ban of flavored Cigars completely.  So if you fall into that very large group of Cigar enthusiasts who enjoy an Amaretto flavored Cigar, or a Bourbon infused tobacco leaf, you are completely out of luck under this terrible law.  This will hurt the industry, drive up prices, and limit our selections, all based on some stuffed suit’s ill conceived conjecture that it will somehow lead to Cigar smoking by teenagers and minors.  That’s bad, really bad.

More personally, the ability to visit a fine Cigar store, walk through a humidor, admire the stock, ask questions, and learn from both management and fellow shoppers cannot be duplicated.  This law will make that entire experience illegal, and outlaw walk-in humidors in their entirety.  We would be forced to make purchases from across a glass case, talking to a salesperson, who may or may not, have any idea what they are talking about, or even care.  It really doesn't take a neurosurgeon moonlighting as a rocket scientist to see that this will all but kill your local Cigar shop, hurting the very foundation of our industry.

OK fine, maybe these cubical dwelling bureaucrats have seen something that we all haven’t.  Maybe they aren’t really trying to sell us swamp land in South Florida, so let’s move on.  Oh yes, what about the other protection minded fairy-tale?  Nice try politicos, but Cigars are NOT infused with any chemicals whatsoever to keep people addicted to them.  That would actually be rather difficult to do, since Cigars do not lend themselves to the same manufacturing processes as Cigarettes.  There are blending issues, aging, sustainability, transport, and control problems with even beginning to try to implement such a devious and vile practice.  Most of all, the basic difference is that people, aka voting aged adults, smoke cigars for the pure pleasure, not because they are being chemically induced into needing to.  It really is for the love and enjoyment that one extracts from fine Cigars.  So poof, there goes the other justification that the FDA had forwarded to gain a strangle hold over the Cigar smoking public. 

Ok, Then Why?

That’s pretty east to answer.  The same reason that most people do anything.  For the money of course.  The trick is in how they are trying pull it off without lifting the curtain. 

First, the Cigar industry is experiencing a run of unprecedented growth.  Inventories are abundant, sales are vibrant, and growth is steady.  This has been the case for approximately a decade, attracting the attention of a Congress that has been handcuffed in identifying and enacting new areas of tax revenues.  However, this was not always the case.  In the decade preceding it, the industry was in an extended tailspin.  Inventories were rotting and burned, sales orders could not be filled due to a severe lack of product.  Even when sales were completed, the product was average in quality at best.  Countries other than Cuba had not yet perfected the seeding, germinating, growing, picking, processing, and distributing processes that we enjoy today.  These countries now rival, and may even exceed Cuba’s Cigar making quality today. 

Second, all we need to do is to look at the types of people that smoke Cigars.  Your average demographic generally falls to the average middle to upper class male.  They fall somewhere within the 30-to-60 year age range?  I would say that is a fair enough assumption. What does this demographic generate plenty of?  You got it, money.  Money, that the government has not been able to easily get their hands on historically.  So what better opportunity to create a direct path to unrealized taxes than to build some conditions deep within a Health and Safety legislative initiative? 

Put these two components together and you have a perfect storm resulting in a hungry and needy governmental wolf staring down a fat juicy new tax lamb.

Who else benefits?  Well beside the government, this would allow the Cigarette industry, its powerful lobbyist army, and a crowd of self centered political appointees to offset the tremendous loss in cigarette sales revenue, justifiably heaped upon them by actions directly attributable to only themselves!   They have suffered tremendous losses from regulation and compensatory legal payouts from unsuccessful litigation. They received their just desserts, for infusing addicting laden chemicals into their product for the sole purpose to maintain addiction, to ensure a sustainable financial future.  Justice served, until these governmental dimwits opened an entire new road of financial recovery for these Cigarette manufacturing monsters.  Typical successful Governmental initiative strategy, no good deed shall go untarnished. 

How can the government hammer this home?  They control the import, transport, and sales processes.  Create additional laws and processes that will make it practically impossible for Cigar manufacturers to export their products, receive them at a United States port of entry, and transport them to market.  Uncle Sam will now control counts, types, components, display, customer access, and purchase processes.  This will all equate to large tax revenues, while trampling all over the concepts of both free enterprise and personal freedoms.  The end result will be much higher product costs, lower inventory counts, and limited selection for the consumer.  The classic recipe for Government inspired catastrophe.

                                                                    

So What Can We Do?

Please use the two links below to reach out to your local Politicians to let them know your views and concerns:

http://capwiz.com/cigarrights/dbq/officials/ – Find your local representative
http://cigarrights.org/# – Voice your opinion, add your name to the petition!

Don’t let your personal freedom and liberty be taken away in the name of new tax revenues.  None of the reasons that the FDA or Congress has provided in applying the conditions for “The Tobacco Control Act” apply to Cigars.  They are simply applying another back door hidden tax and attempting to put a direct stranglehold on the world of fine Cigars.  Therefore, we need to do something.  In addition to the two links above, write, call, picket, discuss, and advertise the injustice of this ill conceived government control of the things we love.  Not just for this issue, but anytime your personal freedom is violated or curtailed.  Don’t allow them kill liberty, one Cigar at a time.