Cigar Industry Reaction to FDA Cigar Regulation
Our blog post for this week lists a number of responses from the industry in response to the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA or FUFDA) cigar regulation. Check out the different views from cigar manufacturers, both large and small, as well as a cigar retailer.
AJ Fernandez Cigar Company
“As an industry representative who frequents many retailers throughout the year, I can attest the detrimental effects the FDA’s regulations would have on the industry anywhere from leisure to employment. On behalf of Aj Fernandez, we will stand united to save the leaf.” David Rico, Midwest Regional Sales Manager for AJ Fernandez, from Save the Leaf website
Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust
“All I am in Nica so I am like everyone else and am getting all my FDA news second and third hand. And as you would expect, there is some conflicting info so I am not in a position to speak definitively on the current state of affairs. At first blush it is not good, hopefully I will have a better understanding soon as to how it impacts DTT and our handmade cigars. Thank You for your support – it means the world to Cindy, Jon and myself!” From Steve Saka Facebook posting on May 5, 2016
Nice Ash Cigars
“Folks, continue writing to and calling your politicians. Every. Single. Day. We really can’t stress this enough. Why? This morning the FDA announced that they are going to regulate premium tobacco products. They have found that premium tobacco poses health risks to those who use it, and that premium cigars are being smoked by our youth. This means that the entire premium tobacco industry is in danger, that many of the brands you enjoy may be pulled from our shelves, and that many sweeping changes are going into effect on August 8th – a mere 90 days from now. Given that their ruling is still so fresh we aren’t 100% sure what to expect, and we aren’t sure if any of this will be delayed due to lawsuits being filed against the FDA, but our politicians need to keep hearing from us – hearing from you – that we do not support this regulation, and that you will not vote for someone who does.” From a subscriber email dated May 5, 2016
Nomad Cigar Company
“Well that sucks. Thanks big government…” from Facebook posting on May 5, 2016
“By now you have no doubt heard the FDA has chosen the ‘nuclear option’ when it comes to regulating cigars – starting in just a couple months. . . Although I am never shocked by what big government will do to gain more and more control, I am surprised by the smokescreen (pun intended) the FDA has created. Frankly, it is outright irresponsible. . . This is not JUST a cigar issue. This is a freedom issue. This is a jobs issue. This is a personal rights issue. The FDA regulation affects hundreds of thousands of people and potentially destabilizes neighboring countries that rely on cigars for export.” Fred Rewey email dated May 12, 2016
Perdomo Cigars
“It’s just more draconian overreach by government. Not just us, but every small, medium and large business. But we’re going to attack, just as we did when the Obama Administration hit us with the S-CHIP bill.” Nick Perdomo from the Cigar Advisor podcast dated June 21, 2016
Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars
“As an industry there has never been a time where we are more united than we are now. We have fought and survived taxes, smoking bans and a communist revolution in Cuba. We will not let the FDA destroy this beautiful craft known as the Premium Cigar industry.” Miguel Schoedel, National Sales Manager for Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars, from Save the Leaf website
Scandinavian Tobacco Group who owns General Cigar and the Macanudo, CAO, Partagas, and Cohiba brands, to name a few
“Today, the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) regulation of cigars and pipe tobacco, the so-called Deeming Regulations, became public. The official publication will take place on 10 May 2016. The regulations have been awaited since the FDA published its proposed regulations in the summer of 2014 followed by a commentary period that ended in August 2014. The FDA’s regulatory power has until today only been extended to cigarettes, fine-cut tobacco and smokeless tobacco products. The FDA has maintained 15 February 2007 as the so-called grandfather date. This means that cigars and pipe tobacco products introduced after that date must be found by the FDA to be substantially equivalent to a product that was in the market at the 2007 grandfather date. In order to be allowed to continue to market products introduced after the grandfather date, manufacturers will have to file documentation with the FDA and obtain FDA’s clearance to market the products. Niels Frederiksen, CEO of Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S (“the Company”) says: ‘We have been expecting these FDA regulations for a long time. They seem to be more or less as we expected and will cover all types of cigars and pipe tobacco. We have in particular noted that the 2007 grandfather date remains unchanged in this final version of the regulations. We will now study the comprehensive document that became public today to get the full picture of the future regulatory framework in the US for cigars and pipe tobacco’.” from Press Release dated May 5, 2016
