This is a notice I just read from another message board I frequent. If it's a repost I apologize, but it seems important enough to require action.

I didn't feel the need to let this spill over into the Cigar Thread, so I wanted to let all you cigar lovers, like me, know about yet another instance of Big Brother telling you what you can and cannot do to your body. This is another instance of the government taking away your basic rights, one by one, until its to late to realize it. Please take this notice very seriously, as I have. The first part is from a e-mail from Famous-Smoke Shop:


*** FAMOUS-SMOKE.COM SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ***

August 25, 2004


Dear Famous Smoke Shop Customer,

PLEASE READ the following important messages with regard to pending legislation that would permit the FDA to REGULATE AND TAX the sale of ALL tobacco products INCLUDING CIGARS and pipe tobacco. The second message is from Norman Sharp, President of the Cigar Association of America. I realize this email is lengthy, but please take the time to read it and send a letter (a sample of which follows Norman's remarks), to the representatives on the list (also provided). YOUR CIGAR-SMOKING FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT. Here's why:

If this bill passes into law, it would grant the FDA UNLIMITED regulatory power. That means tobacco would be regulated as are pharmaceuticals. This alone would put many smaller manufacturers out of business, as they would
not have the wherewithal to comply with the rules.

Additionally, under the new pending legislation, it may become a fact that Famous Smoke Shop and other Internet and mail order companies would be PROHIBITED FROM ENGAGING IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE. Or, at minimum, we would
be REQUIRED TO COLLECT TAXES IN EACH OF THE RESPECTIVE STATES. This would not be a legislative decision, but a unilateral mandate created solely under the umbrella phrase, "appropriate for the protection of public
health."

WORST CASE SCENARIO: The new FDA authority would give the Federal Govt. DE FACTO POWER TO BAN ALL CONVENTIONAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS, cigars included.
Again, this would fall under the umbrella in the proposed legislation of their definition of "appropriate for the protection of public health."

Finally, the Senate version of the bill would grant the Federal Govt. (FDA) the power to IMPOSE THESE MANDATES UPON MANUFACTURERS regardless of cost, feasibility or even the existence of suitable technology.

Sincerely,

Arthur Zaretsky
President
Famous Smoke Shop-PA, Inc.


The next is a press notice from the president of Cigar Association of America:


HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM. The U.S. Senate has amended a House bill (H.R. 4520) to include a provision which would give the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) authority over all tobacco products - including cigars and pipe tobacco. Their reasoning is that they want to protect kids from cigarettes. Yet they have included two products used overwhelmingly by adults.

Even the FDA, when it made the ill-fated attempt to regulate tobacco products on its own in 1996, specifically chose to EXCLUDE cigars and pipe tobacco because it had NO EVIDENCE OF SIGNIFICANT USAGE BY YOUTH, nor did it have sufficient evidence that they were drug delivery devices.

To pay for this new increase in the federal bureaucracy, "user fees" - a fancy term for "taxes" - will be assessed on all tobacco manufacturers and importers - which of course will be passed on to "users" such as yourself. The cigar industry in particular has been singled out for punitively large tax increases. Additionally, cigar companies will also be forced to pass along the increased costs inevitable in trying to comply with new government regulations and standards.

Furthermore, the measure contains provisions which will have a direct, negative impact on mail order/internet sales and this will further increase the price of the tobacco products which you purchase from us.

Cigars and pipe tobacco are used overwhelmingly by adult men. KIDS DON'T SMOKE THESE PRODUCTS, nor do these industries advertise to kids. Actually, the majority of cigar advertising is geared toward premium, handmade cigars in adult-lifestyle publications. Moreover, government studies have found that the vast majority of cigar smokers - anywhere from 75% to 89% -- are OCCASIONAL smokers.

WE NEED YOUR HELP. Please contact the following senators and congressmen and urge them to keep cigars and pipe tobacco out of the FDA legislation to regulate cigarettes. The following sample letter will give you some guidance on what to say. The fastest and most effective means of communicating are, IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, 1) by e-mail 2) by phone 3) by FAX and 4) by mail.

Norman Sharp
President
Cigar Association of America


The next piece is a nice little template for a letter to your local senator:


*** SAMPLE LETTER ***

quote:
Dear Senator/Congressman:

I STRONGLY oppose the inclusion of cigars and pipe tobacco in the FDA provisions in H.R. 4520, which will be debated this fall by a House-Senate conference committee. And I oppose the punitive new taxes to pay for that regulation and for the costly new bureaucracy which would impose them.

Senate sponsors say this legislation is needed to protect kids from cigarettes. Yet they have included two products which are used overwhelmingly by adults. Ironically, when the Food & Drug Administration attempted to regulate tobacco on its own in 1996, they chose specifically to exclude cigars and pipe tobacco because they found that 1) there was insufficient evidence of significant usage by youth and 2) there was insufficient evidence that these products were drug delivery devices under the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act.

The Senate proposal will impose a significant hardship on these industries and their customers in the form of punitive "user fees" and the additional costs of complying with new government regulations and standards.

Please keep cigars and pipe tobacco out of the FDA provisions in H.R. 4520.

Yours truly,
(insert name)



Please..PLEASE..take time to contact your Senator, and let them know you do NOT want your basic rights taken away from you!

Thank you for your time.

I will edit if the formatting is off, because I just straight copied and pasted from another board.