CIGAR RIGHTS OF AMERICA CigarRights.org Announced

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Press Release

www.cigarrights.org

CIGAR RIGHTS OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES THE FORMATION OF THE GRASSROOTS NON-PROFIT ASSOCIATION OF CIGAR ENTHUSIASTS TO FIGHT TOBACCO TAX INCREASES AND SMOKING BANS.

Los Angeles, May 30, 2008


FIGHTING TO PROTECT YOUR FREEDOM TO ENJOY CIGARS

"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness"
"Land of the Free"
"No Taxation Without Representation"

These are the principles on which America was founded. Unfortunately for cigar enthusiasts, the age-old pleasure of enjoying a cigar is under attack. On a daily basis, your freedom to enjoy a cigar is being stripped away by an overzealous, anti-smoking movement. Their tactics are varied; be it through supporting onerous cigar taxes or lobbying government for restrictive smoking bans. The anti-smoking movement will stop at nothing short of the complete prohibition of tobacco.

The Constitution of the United States ensures that all men and women have the freedom and the right to the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, cigar enthusiasts have slowly allowed these rights to be removed. Over the past twenty years, the anti-tobacco movement has broadened their reach and scope and are moving towards abolishing ALL forms of tobacco including cigars. Until recently there has essentially been very little organized opposition to their actions. And why should there have been? Most of us assumed that their attention was directed towards cigarettes.

Unfortunately, we were wrong.

Forty-seven states in America have enacted cigar taxes. Some states have gone as far as taxing cigars at a rate of 75%. Currently, the entire cigar industry is threatened by the Federal Government's State Children's Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP) that threatens to increase the Federal cigar tax by as much as 6,000% (no this is not a typo). If it were not for President Bush 's veto of the bill proposed by the House and Senate last fall, cigar enthusiasts would currently be paying exorbitantly high prices for the cigars they enjoy so much and nearly every cigar shop in America would have been forced out of business. The proposed bill, which will tax cigars to fund SCHIP, is not dead yet. After the House and Senate reconvene in September, they will again attempt to increase the Federal tax on cigars to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Plan.

In addition to a tax increase on cigars, regularly introduced anti-smoking legislation has made it close to impossible for cigar enthusiasts to enjoy cigars. In many states, you are not allowed to enjoy a cigar at your local restaurant or bar. Cities around America are now proposing bans which will, if enacted, stop you from enjoying a cigar outside of public buildings. Who would have thought that the day would come when you cannot legally enjoy a cigar walking down the beach or sitting in your local park?

A number of manufacturers and retailers of the U.S. cigar industry have sponsored the formation of Cigar Rights of America (CRA). The founding sponsors of CRA are:

Arturo Fuente
Ashton Cigars
Camacho Cigars
Corona Cigar Company
Cusano Cigars
Davidoff
Drew Estate
General Cigar
God of Fire
Humidipak
J.C. Newman Cigar Co.
La Aurora
La Flor Dominicana
Perdomo
Oliva Cigar Co.
Padron Cigars
Prometheus
Rocky Patel
Thompson Cigar

The Retail Tobacconist Advisory Committee of CRA consists of:

Abe Dababneh
West Palm Beach, Florida

Albert Espinoza
Long Beach, California

Dan Kolod
Cleveland, Ohio

David Kitchen
New York City

Diana Silvius Gits
Chicago, Illinois

Jeff Borysiewicz
Orlando, Florida

Jeff Haugen and Joel Rogers
Maple Grove, Minnesota

Matt Lanford
Santa Barbara, California

Michael Herklot
New York City

Mike Khalil
Villar Park, Illinois

Paul Tucker
Louisville, Kentucky

Ron Melendi
New York City

Steve Willet
Boston, Massachusetts

The Soza Family
Fresno, California

In order to kick off the launching of Cigar Rights of America and raise the awareness encroachment of freedom and rights of cigar enthusiasts by an overzealous, anti-smoking movement, a number of cigar makers will tour several cities together for a week in August and attend the events organized by retail tobacconists. The tour will start with the event in New York City, which is tentatively scheduled for August 19th . Furthermore, the limited edition cigars will be released by the cigar manufacturers sponsoring CRA to commemorate the launching of Cigar Rights of America.

There is a war against cigar enthusiasts everywhere. To combat the very influential anti-smoking movement, we need your help NOW. Join CIGAR RIGHTS OF AMERICA (CRA) and join the fight to protect your rights. Cigar Rights of America has been formed to fight unjustified tax increases and halt smoking bans. For years, cigar enthusiasts have been trampled on by all levels of government. With increasing risk of further local, State and Federal government intervention, now is the time for the cigar community to UNITE and have a powerful voice to protect our rights.

The CRA membership information will be available in its web site, www.cigarrights.org, which will be launched in the week of June 2, 2008.
 
Re: CIGAR RIGHTS OF AMERICA Cigar Rights.org Announced

Most everyone on this board knows how I feel about the smoking issue in the country and I wish this organization luck. As far as I'm concerned the door to the barn is wide open and the cows aren't even in sight.. We are vastly out numbered and out organized and the other side is funded with big tobacco money.. Most of the politicians ,,local, state , and federal are on board with the other side (against evil tobacco).. Besides, except for us and a few others nobody gives a shit about cigar smokers or their rights.


Jerry in Minnesota.
 
I am most certainly in. Increasing the taxes on a (1) cigar by 6,000% is ridiculous. You dont see people smoking packs of cigars a day. Also, a pack of cigarettes costs what?, 5 bucks (in FL) an average cigar is more than that and I personally enjoy only 1 or 3 a week. We shouldn't be lumped in with the rest of them. If we look back in history how many influential revolutionary people smoked either a pipe or a cigar? Too many to count.

Sorry for the rant. In all seriousness. I am defiantly signing up to combat the pleasure police!
 
Thanks for the post. It is good to know that some folks would like to continue down the road to freedom versus turning in their copy of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
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What ever happened to 'Give me liberty or give me death!':tu
 
Too broad. It'll end up as an umbrella for cigarette smokers' rights as well.

I want my cigar lounges, but smoking in restaurants, bars? No way.

I refuse to take several steps backward and once again have nice dinners ruined by someone's Marlboro one table over, nor start to come home from having a drink with a friend smelling like a cigarette ashtray like before.

I've said it before: until the cigar industry gets out of the "bunker mentality" and stops sharing a platform with the cigarette industry - which has already lost the war but continues its verbal flailing, like the armless and legless "Knights That Say 'Nee!'" - it will NOT advance its own cause.

Fight for exceptions to the current bans - which have all been enacted by convincing voter majorities - by creating provisions for specific cigar spaces such as separate cigar bars for cigar smokers, and quit fighting the cigarette industry's losing battles for them...or continue to lose altogether.

That's the reality, best and most well-intentioned efforts or not.
 
Thompsons is shown as one of the supporters. Wanna bet everryone that joins will eventually get a Thompsons catalog!! :hn


Sorry........Couldn't resist.
 
lenguamor said:
Too broad. It'll end up as an umbrella for cigarette smokers' rights as well.

I want my cigar lounges, but smoking in restaurants, bars? No way.

I refuse to take several steps backward and once again have nice dinners ruined by someone's Marlboro one table over, nor start to come home from having a drink with a friend smelling like a cigarette ashtray like before.

I've said it before: until the cigar industry gets out of the "bunker mentality" and stops sharing a platform with the cigarette industry - which has already lost the war but continues its verbal flailing, like the armless and legless "Knights That Say 'Nee!'" - it will NOT advance its own cause.

Fight for exceptions to the current bans - which have all been enacted by convincing voter majorities - by creating provisions for specific cigar spaces such as separate cigar bars for cigar smokers, and quit fighting the cigarette industry's losing battles for them...or continue to lose altogether.

That's the reality, best and most well-intentioned efforts or not.
Click to expand...

This reply really upsets me. Who do you think you are to say what or should or should not not be done in someone's PRIVATELY OWNED bar or restaurant. You, or the Government for that matter. I own my place, I pay an assload of taxes to keep it open. The city, county, state does nothing to keep me open. You Sir have no right to say what I should do on my private property. Just as I have no right telling you what should be done at your home. These are not Government owned establishments we are talking about, my business is PRIVATE PROPERTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you forgotten what a republic is based on? We have elected officials to protect the minority. The cigar industry has done everything it can to distance itself from the Cigarette industry. Please don't speak of something you obviously know very little about, it's insulting. We must fight all attacks on our industry, not some of them. That is the only similarity we have with the cigarette industry, the need to attack on all fronts to save a personal freedom.
 
puffstuff said:
This reply really upsets me. Who do you think you are to say what or should or should not not be done in someone's PRIVATELY OWNED bar or restaurant. You, or the Government for that matter. I own my place, I pay an assload of taxes to keep it open. The city, county, state does nothing to keep me open. You Sir have no right to say what I should do on my private property. Just as I have no right telling you what should be done at your home. These are not Government owned establishments we are talking about, my business is PRIVATE PROPERTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you forgotten what a republic is based on? We have elected officials to protect the minority. The cigar industry has done everything it can to distance itself from the Cigarette industry. Please don't speak of something you obviously know very little about, it's insulting. We must fight all attacks on our industry, not some of them. That is the only similarity we have with the cigarette industry, the need to attack on all fronts to save a personal freedom.
Click to expand...

Oh, horseshit.

It's not about personal freedom; it's about what you think is your God-given right to light up beside me and pollute the air that I breathe without regard to MY rights.

Smoking bans aren't passing by 60% of the voting public because they're a BAD idea, they're passing because of the historical lack of consideration by cigarette smokers and the bum rap that they give cigar and pipe smokers by association.

Rant all you want. The fact is, smoking bans are REALITY, and we cigar smokers need to fight to have OUR OWN spaces instead of fighting to repeal what majorities of voters all across the country are making LAW.

Break off from the cigarette industry's losing battle and start our OWN effort, not some misguided - make that YET ANOTHER misguided - attempt to turn back the clock.
 
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