The state of Massachusetts has become the 6th state in the country to raise the tobacco purchase age to 21 with Governor Charlie Baker signing the bill into law. The new law goes into effect on December 31, 2018. However there is an exception to the law. Anyone who turns 18 before the date the new law goes into effect will still be allowed to buy tobacco unless they are in a city that has […]
On July 26th, Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., spoke from the Senate Floor in defense of the Premium Cigar industry. In his remarks, the Senator laid out the uniqueness of the premium cigar industry and the existential threat facing small businesses, including the J.C. Newman factory in Ybor City, Fla. if current FDA regulations are left unabated. The video of the speech can be seen via the C-Span website at: https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4742275/sen-rubio-cigar-speech-july-26-2018 In a statement, IPCPR applauded Senator […]
The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (“IPCPR”) and Cigar Rights of America (“CRA”) filed a joint comment in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s ongoing review of how it should define and treat premium cigars. This process, known as an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – marked a major milestone for premium cigar retailers, manufacturers, consumers and the industry at large. It was an opportunity for IPCPR, CRA and other stakeholders […]
This morning Glynn Loope reached out to The Cigar Authority with the following statement. “On behalf of each manufacturer that has joined Cigar Rights of America in this fight against onerous and unjustified warning labels on artisan and culturally significant handmade cigar packaging, we applaud the decision by U.S. Federal Judge Amit Mehta. He recognized, as he noted in his May 2018 opinion that the warning label mandates of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration […]
From Drew Newman, General Counsel of J.C. Newman Cigar Co, It seems only fitting that the day after our country celebrated America’s independence a federal court has stepped in to help preserve the right of American adults to enjoy a fine, handcrafted cigar. We are extremely pleased that Judge Mehta has delayed the implementation of the FDA’s new massive cigar warning labels indefinitely until the courts have a chance to decide their constitutionality. Particularly in light […]
A Washington DC court ruled this afternoon that cigar companies will not need to have warning labels in place on August 10, 2018. According to the ruling, the label placements have been delayed until 60 days after the appeal has been ruled on by the DC Circuit US Court of Appeals, if needed. According to the Judge, “Because Plaintiffs’ appeal presents “serious legal questions” on the merits, and because the likelihood of irreparable harm, the […]
As the August 10th deadline for the FDA’s new warning requirements inches closer, retailers are evaluating how the new warning requirements for so-called “advertisements” may apply to their online and social media formats. This includes what website and social media content triggers the “advertising” warning requirements for covered tobacco products, such as cigars and pipe tobacco, as well as how best to comply. Note that the regulations do not define “advertisement” for these purposes, and […]
Earlier this week, Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson led a bipartisan letter to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb directing the FDA to bring quick regulatory relief to the premium cigar industry. Signed by 17 Senators, the letter outlines the need for the quick adoption of a premium cigar definition by the agency and the ultimate exemption of that product category from current FDA regulations. The letter comes as the FDA has recently extended by 30 […]
The Canadian Parliament has passed bill S-5 which overhauls the Tobacco Act in Canada. The move would impose plain packaging on all tobacco products in the country, including cigars. The move was met with strong vocal opposition from the country’s largest manufactures, distributors and store owners. While the bill does not state how and when the measure will be imposed it is expected to follow the measures already in place in countries like New Zealand and […]
Today, the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (“IPCPR”), Cigar Association of America (“CAA”), and Cigar Rights of America (“CRA”) were pleased to announce the adoption of language in the FY 2019 budget as approved by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations by a vote of 29 – 20 that works to protect premium cigars from overreaching and burdensome regulations, as proposed by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The language addresses […]