I woke up this morning with a CRA alert in my inbox, which isn’t an uncommon occurrence.  This time it was about the Buffalo, NY city council and their quest to regulate tobacco products.  One would think that local governments have more to be concerned about, afterall tobacco is a legal product with adequately enforced age restrictions in place.  However, it seems every level of government, local, state, and federal, have all taken up the crusade.  Where does it end?

Let’s face it, I, just like you, would rather enjoy and create cigars in peace, but today that just isn’t in the cards.  We, as cigar smokers, manufacturers, and retailers must continue our efforts and be proactive against further patchwork regulations.

So, what is the answer?  In my humble opinion the answer for the survival and proliferation of premium cigars is DIFFERENTIATION and EDUCATION.  We have to set ourselves apart from other forms of tobacco as well as educate our legislators on both the industry and the nature of its consumers.  Unfortunately, tobacco as a whole is under attack from many angles and if we can carve out our niche it will serve us well. 

Do you agree?  What do you have to add?

Smoke to be Free!

-Brad