This week on The Cigar Authority, we will look at the trade off between premium & value cigars. In the first hour we light up a 22/83 Join Mr. Jonathan, David Garofalo and Ed Sullivan as we light up cigars and talk about them. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke […]
Today, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine released its report, Premium Cigars: Patterns of Use, Marketing, and Health Effects. Commissioned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health, this 520-page report was drafted by a committee of 13 tobacco control scientists. This report is the first government-sponsored, in-depth examination of premium cigars. On April 20, 2021, Drew Newman, fourth-generation owner and general counsel of J.C. Newman Cigar Co., was the […]
The House Ways & Means Democratic staff has begun circulating a list of priorities and revenue raisers for the “Human Infrastructure” bill that will be voted on in coming weeks through the reconciliation process that only requires a simple majority (51 votes) in the Senate. This is the first step in this process and unfortunately the committee’s priorities include a $96 billion tobacco tax increase that would likely include both premium cigars and pipe tobacco […]
Earlier today The United States House of Representatives voted on HR 866 which provides consideration of the bill HR 2339 which would amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act which with respect to the sale and market of tobacco product. This is a bill that would make changes to the cigar industry that will cost jobs, ban online cigar sales, put people out of business and remove free choice from the people. HR 866 […]
Since 1930 Nat Sherman has been in the cigar market when they acquired Epoca, a clear Havana cigar brand. In January of 2017 family owned Nat Sherman would be sold to Altria, who bought it for the cigarettes in order to compete with brands like American Spirit. Last week, news came out that Altria was looking to sell the premium cigar division which is currently headed by Michael Herklots. Along with the premium cigar brands comes […]
(Oct 23, 2019) – I can’t say that I was surprised or unhappy for the overall good of the entire cigar industry, but as predicted and expected, Altria Group, after just 1,000 days since purchasing Nat Sherman will sell off the Premium cigar segment of the operation. Altria is the parent company of Philip Morris. In January of 2017 Altria purchased Nat Sherman, a luxury cigarette company who also owned and operated a premium cigar division […]
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 […]
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 […]
Earlier today the US House of Representatives passed a 12 bill spending package that includes a provision prohibiting the FDA from enforcing regulations against premium cigars. The bill, known as an omnibus appropriations package, passed the House by 211-198 votes and will now move to the Senate for consideration. Congress has until December 8th to pass spending legislation and fund the federal government. So what does this mean? Section 752 of the House Agriculture Appropriations […]
Last week we reported on the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies released the draft legislation for FY2017 which included a provision to protect premium cigars from undue FDA regulation. The language states, “SEC. 749. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the proposed rule with the regulation identifier number 0910–AG38 published by the […]