FIGHTING TO PROTECT YOUR FREEDOM TO ENJOY CIGARS
- “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”
- “Land of the Free”
- “No Taxation Without Representation”
Taken from the Cigar Rights official website at www.cigarrights.org
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 Declaration of Independence 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-eight states in America have enacted cigar taxes. Some states have gone as far as taxing cigars at a rate of 80%. 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 weren’t for President Bush ’s veto of the bill proposed by the House and Senate last fall, you would currently be paying exorbitantly high prices for the cigars you 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 upcoming 2008 November election, the House and Senate 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?
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. If you’d like more information about this organization, go to > www.cigarrights.org
March 5th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
cigars get the “double whammy” of being seen as a “health hazard” AND a “luxury item”, two reasons the government thinks it should tax the begeebuz out of them. Looking back through history, though, cigars and the tobacco industry are a huge part of what made the American Colonies wealthy… wealthy enough to become an independent nation.
March 6th, 2009 at 6:51 am
It’s time to unite and fight. I’m a charter member and I’ve been writing alot of letters. We need help!!! I’m currently on a cigar buying spree to stock up before April 1st.
March 6th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Don’t think for one second that our liberal government really wants to put an end to tobacco use. Of course they claim that is their agenda because it’s so dangerous and bad for us, and we Americans are too retarded to make our own decisions. But in all reality, they do NOT want us to stop practicing our right to enjoy a cigar. If there was ever an end to the tobacco industry, our nation would be f*cked. The government would lose so much in tax revenue, 1 of 3 things would happen. 1: stop goverment programs funded by tobacco tax money (SCHIP) that the government would have already trained people to rely on. 2: increase taxes on citizens to make up the deficit. 3: a combination of both.
Let’s do our country a favor and clean our Congress of these bleeding-heart liberals in 2010. Vote reuplican in 2010 and lets restore some rationale to Congress.
March 6th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I have a consulting business which operates out of a side office in my home. As a result of a new law in my city, I am now unable to smoke a cigar anywhere near the entrance to that business. Thus I am unable to smoke anywhere on my own property. Furthermore, I will be fined if I do not post no smoking signs all around my business.
At the same time, I see articles being posted on the web and in our newspaper saying that OUTDOOR second hand smoke is a killer and that hundreds of thousands are affected. Indoor, confined second hand smoke may have a deleterious effect over a prolonged exposure. But the notion that outdoor densities are harmful is absurd.
Is this science or advocacy? If the tobacco industry funded such research, everyone would scream “bias!” But when the anti-smoking industry and special interests, who make a rich living in “non-profit” (now profitable and called “not-FOR-profit” industries, fund research, it is considered pristine and beyond question.
Asinine drivel.
March 7th, 2009 at 9:32 am
You wanna borrow my whiffle bat, bro? I’ve got an extra…
April 4th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
The parasites here are just smart enough to not completely “kill” the host, but look at these do-good “mo-fo’s” …. “CHANGE!!!… FOR THE CHILDERN!!!!” , and the tax really only hurts the non-affluent and least well-to-do THE MOST!
Be careful everyone … because Obama might just “fire” you from your job, I think that he needs to remember that as president, that he is the so-called “head of state” (stuffed shirt IMO), and “commander -in-chief” of the military, but he is NOT C.E.O. of free enterprise!
Even though he be “Commander-in-chief” etc. he can’t make any “real” decisions without the “checks and balances”, but hey… that Larry Winget fella’ aptly and basically said this already: “NOTHING WORKS!”
It seems that the very checks and balances are being “chucked”, leaving us liberally unbalanced… and I’m by far no right-wing extreme kind of guy… I know the smell of shit, be it republican or democrat shit for that matter.
April 4th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Your comment is awaiting moderation… “Moderzanatium is cool” huh-huh… huh-huh…