Indoor smoking bans. Advertisement limitations. General public disdain.
These are the obstacles that the cigar industry has faced in the past few decades. At a time when the cigar has seen a resurgence, the environment to sell products has never presented so many hurdles.
It has taken long enough, but the cigar industry is finally ready to protect their customer base and differentiate themselves from what is popularly known as "big tobacco." Typically, those who buy and sell cigars do not run in the same circles as those who often lament "I wish I could quit," or "I'm a victim of the tobacco industry," or "I am a nicotine addict."
And let's face it, when public smoking rules were more favorable for smokers, cigar enthusiasts were still treated as second class citizens, even by cigarette smokers. It's richly ironic that now, in cities like New York and states like New Jersey, that the only folks allowed to smoke indoors are cigar smokers.
Seizing on the change in tide, "small tobacco" which is more small business oriented and connoisseur focused than the "tobacco industry" has decided to form Cigar Rights of America (CRA). Kevin at on-line magazine Cigar Review scored a few interviews with the brain trust of this developing organization. A revealing Q and A session included a discussion with CRA co-president Jeffrey Borysiewicz. Here's a sample of the discussion you can find on Cigar Review:
Question: Do you think the industry failed itself by not separating itself from cigarettes, in the public's eye, more than three (3) decades ago?
Borysiewicz: I believe the problem for cigars began when the anti-smoking lobby started broadening their campaigns from cigarettes to all forms of tobacco - snuff, chewing tobacco, pipes and cigars. The cigar industry is a small industry and is at a major disadvantage when compared to the well funded, well organized anti-tobacco lobby.
However, just because the cigar industry (tobacco growers, cigar manufacturers, cigar retailers and cigar consumers) is a relatively small industry, it does not mean that we should have no voice of opposition to the over zealous anti-tobacco lobby.
Question: Will CRA involve a serious lobbying effort, spearheaded by a serious lobbyist, such as Bill Cohen or Tommy Boggs…of that ilk, I mean?
Borysiewicz: I am not in a position to comment on the CRA's professional lobbying plan. However, the CRA wants to harness the energy of the most powerful lobby of all - the people!
It is the CRA's goal to get cigar enthusiasts involved and motivated to stand up for their rights. Cigar smokers have been abused by our government with excessive taxes, overly restrictive smoking bans and unreasonable sales restrictions. The anti-tobacco lobby will stop at nothing short of the complete prohibition of tobacco. If we don't stand up with a powerful, organized voice to stop the anti-tobacco lobby, the cigar industry in America may become extinct.
There is a current and real threat of a 6,000% increase in the Federal cigar tax if the SCHIP bill passes. This tax will cause cigar prices to double and in many cases triple. Consumers, retailers and manufacturers need to unite to let our elected officials know that this tax is unjust and puts a disproportional burden on cigars.
It will be interesting to follow who gets on board with this organization. Right now, cigar heavyweights including Arturo Fuente, Ashton, Camacho, Cusano, Davidoff, Drew Estate, General, J. C. Newman, La Aurora, La Flor Dominicana, Perdomo, Oliva, Padron, and Rocky Patel have joined the CRA.
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