I just received this by e-mail. Not a pretty read for smokers in the US...
Dear Cigar Aficionado Reader,
We need your help.
The Food and Drug Administration wants to regulate cigars. The new FDA rules could prohibit you from touching cigars in a shop, eliminate walk-in humidors and raise cigar taxes. Cigarmakers would be forced to submit every cigar blend for testing and F.D.A. approval.
The industry is fighting back. With the help of many congressmen on Capitol Hill, a bill, H.R. 1639, is being proposed to exclude hand-rolled cigars from Food and Drug Administration control. They already have more than 100 co-sponsors of the bill, but the industry needs more support to ensure victory in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Now is the time to let Washington know that you are upset that your cigar-smoking privileges may be curtailed. You need to speak up now to preserve your freedom to purchase a fine, hand-rolled premium cigar in tobacco shops and on the Internet. Stating your opinion loud and clear can also help to stop new taxes on cigars.
We believe cigar smokers everywhere need to stand up today to make their voices heard. It is the only way to stop this attack on premium cigars, a legal product enjoyed by millions of adults in this country.
What?s more, speaking up is easy. All you need to do is go to the Cigar Rights of America website, cigarrights.org, and on the home page follow the instructions to send your petition to Capitol Hill. Nearly 100,000 petitions have already been delivered.
Stand up for your freedom.
Marvin R. Shanken
Editor and Publisher
Cigar Aficionado
Dear Cigar Aficionado Reader,
We need your help.
The Food and Drug Administration wants to regulate cigars. The new FDA rules could prohibit you from touching cigars in a shop, eliminate walk-in humidors and raise cigar taxes. Cigarmakers would be forced to submit every cigar blend for testing and F.D.A. approval.
The industry is fighting back. With the help of many congressmen on Capitol Hill, a bill, H.R. 1639, is being proposed to exclude hand-rolled cigars from Food and Drug Administration control. They already have more than 100 co-sponsors of the bill, but the industry needs more support to ensure victory in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Now is the time to let Washington know that you are upset that your cigar-smoking privileges may be curtailed. You need to speak up now to preserve your freedom to purchase a fine, hand-rolled premium cigar in tobacco shops and on the Internet. Stating your opinion loud and clear can also help to stop new taxes on cigars.
We believe cigar smokers everywhere need to stand up today to make their voices heard. It is the only way to stop this attack on premium cigars, a legal product enjoyed by millions of adults in this country.
What?s more, speaking up is easy. All you need to do is go to the Cigar Rights of America website, cigarrights.org, and on the home page follow the instructions to send your petition to Capitol Hill. Nearly 100,000 petitions have already been delivered.
Stand up for your freedom.
Marvin R. Shanken
Editor and Publisher
Cigar Aficionado
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