PROTECTING THE ENJOYMENT OF A CIGAR, PCA IS ON THE FRONT LINES

by J. Glynn Loope, Director of State Advocacy, Premium Cigar Association

The proverbial phrase in Washington, D.C., or really in the halls and chambers of any seat of government is, “if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” it seems that no matter who’s in charge, no matter which party, no matter which bureaucrat transfers in and out, this is the case.

You would think that something as simple as enjoying a cigar would not warrant an abnormal level of government scrutiny, but even in this era of pandemics, issues of national security, community safety, economic uncertainty, teacher and first responder shortages and more, a collection of legislators and regulators at all levels seem to find time to address, enjoying a cigar. Amazing.

At any other time your first response would probably be, “You’re kidding?” Afraid not. Allow this list to put the dilemma into perspective:

• Hollywood, California, city council initiated a sales ban on all tobacco products, and the premium cigar industry had to scramble to get an exemption for a single cigar shop and private club;

• Brookline, Massachusetts enacted such a ban;

• Legislation, ordinances and regulations have been introduced throughout the nation to ban the sale of “flavored” tobacco, that could also impact the sale of premium pipe tobacco and cigars, with some products being banned just due to “descriptions” of products;

• The introduction of new nicotine alternative products has triggered sweeping reviews of smoking ordinances, forcing adult-only cigar shops and bars to defend their status allowing the enjoyment a cigar, in the private confines of their local businesses;

• Even after a series of decisive court victories, over 1,000 federal bureaucrats show up to work daily with the mission of prohibiting perfectly legal products, and consistently trying to design ‘one-sizefits-all’ approaches to regulating all things tobacco.

In response to these known threats, and to prepare for the unknown, the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) has taken a series of steps and established a resolve to protect not only their base of local, Main Street America small business tobacconists, but the manufacturers of these skilled artisan products, and the ultimate enjoyment of them, by the end consumer.

With a team based in Washington, D.C., PCA is addressing industry threats at all levels. Consistent outreach to members of congress, briefings for each Presidential Administration, communication with state legislatures, governors and mayors, providing testimony to oversight committees, coalition building and grassroots engagement are all tools in the arsenal of PCA.

Of late, PCA has taken their message to the world stage by engaging the embassies of cigar producing nations, filing comments on international tobacco-control measures, and providing testimony on issues of global significance.

To improve consumer engagement and grassroots outreach, PCA launched CigarAction.org to serve as a national platform that can reach every elected official in America. CigarAction.org is a petition system allowing for consumers and shop owners alike to reach elected officials with messages of support or opposition to key pieces of legislation. It literally links local cigar patrons to every elected official they have, from the state house to the White House.

Training has also become a cornerstone of the PCA legislative affairs mission. Each year PCA staff provides a series of “how to” sessions, engaging and advising community tobacconists on how to be their own best advocates. Legislators respond better and are more apt to be sympathetic to actual constituents, than “hired hands.” By facilitating relationships between consumers, shop owners and their actual legislators, the opportunities for success grow exponentially.

The goal is to grow the premium cigar and pipe community into a true political constituency, and it’s working. Two years without a state tax increase, fewer sweeping flavor and related product bans, cigar and pipe exemptions to local authority bills, introduction and advancement of tax cap measures, cigar exemptions in smoking ban regulations, and in the judicial arena, regulations rolled back that could have crippled the industry.

But threats remain. PCA and associated industry allies have learned many lessons from some of the best in the advocacy business. By engaging in some of the model approaches of the firearms and spirits sectors, for example, PCA knows that it can better protect the simple enjoyment of a cigar.

The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) is the leading authority and advocate for the premium cigar and pipe retailer industry.