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 […]
On Friday, June 8, 2018, Bobby Newman, executive vice president and third-generation owner of J.C. Newman Cigar Company, appeared on the Rush Limbaugh Show. Bobby described the devastating effect that FDA regulation is having on America’s historic premium cigar industry and his family’s 123-year-old cigar business to guest host Mark Steyn. He explained why premium cigars should be exempt from FDA regulation and urged the public to visit www.SaveCigarCity.com to submit comments to the FDA […]
Earlier today, the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced extensions to three advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) dockets currently underway. The extension covers the ANPRMs on nicotine reduction, flavors and premium cigars. This extension provides additional time for industry to present its case to the administration and submit comments to the FDA. IPCPR, along with other industry associations, members of Congress and industry stakeholders submitted extension requests. The IPCPR applauds the FDA’s decision […]
Congressman Bill Posey along with 32 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter urging the federal government to extend the premium cigar ANPRM comment period. The comment period is currently slated to close on June 25th, and is the third of three tobacco and nicotine focused ANPRM’s released by the FDA. The letter also asks for a simultaneous delay to the looming August 10th, 2018 labeling deadline for packages and advertising. IPCPR, along […]
This week, J.C. Newman Cigar Company began distributing 100,000 postcards to premium cigar retailers across the country as part of its “Save Cigar City” campaign. The postcards, which are pre-addressed to the FDA, allow Americans who enjoy fine cigars to submit comments urging that the FDA exempt premium cigars from regulation. The FDA’s deadline for public comment is June 25, 2018. “As the FDA reconsiders the regulation of premium cigars, we wanted make it easy […]
Yesterday, Judge Amit Mehta issued an opinion on several issues raised in the IPCPR’s lawsuit against the FDA. Notably, Judge Mehta struck down the requirement that retailers who blend pipe tobacco must register their establishments with and submit product listings to the FDA. This is a positive development for IPCPR members and significantly eases the compliance burden facing many premium tobacconists around the country. However, Judge Mehta did not endorse other challenges to the FDA’s: […]
For months the cigar industry has been waiting for a ruling from Judge Amit P. Mehta. Today, that ruling came down and it wasn’t what we wanted to hear as the member of United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of the FDA’s Warning Label Plan. Despite calling the rules, “grossly unfair”, Judge Mehta ruled that the Final Deeming Rule’s health warnings on cigar boxes and advertisements are not a violation […]
This week The Cigar Authority welcomes two guests to the show. First we are joined by Glynn Loope from the Cigar Rights of America as he gives us a two year update on the FDA Deeming Regulations. Where do we stand? What can we expect? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? During the first hour we will be smoking the Jose Dominguez Maduro from The Cigar Authority Care Package. In the […]
The FDA has finally published its long awaited notice on premium cigars. The Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) was released earlier today, and as anticipated, seeks input from industry, other stakeholders and the public on if and how the agency should define and regulate premium cigars differently from the status quo. This is the third of three solicitations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that were part of the agency’s comprehensive plan […]
After a week of bad news for the cigar industry, some light has appeared at the end of the tunnel. The Food and Drug Administration announced they are taking another look at premium cigars. According to the advanced notice of proposed rule making published today, the FDA is seeking feedback on how to define premium cigars. According to that notice, “We received numerous comments on the deeming proposed rule with respect to premium cigars, both […]