Keep Fighting, New York Tobacconists!

Last week was a wild week when it came to cigar legislation. One of the worst states in the country, if not the worst state in the country (in terms of smoking and tobacco laws) almost managed to pass a cap on their cigar tax at $1.00. Early in the week, it made it through the New York State Senate and the rest of the country held their breaths and though "Is this actually going to happen?" And then it went to the General Assembly, with all the momentum in the world... And the General Assembly went on recess. The General Assembly ignored all their responsibilities, all of their duties, all of their constituents and the potential fatal future of many cigar shops and decided, instead, to go on recess.

The good news is, the fight isn't over yet. The bill can still be debated and set up for a vote when they come back from the recess, but cigar retailers are now forced to sit and wait longer. To sit there and question whether they should just give up and close shop, or hope that some sense is knocked into that state's legislatures when they come back from their recess. The good news it, we are more organized than ever right now throughout the country, and the whole country wants to see New York succeed in passing this cap because the rest of the states need hope that they will not be in the same position as New York is in. But with the ever expanding reach and influence of Glynn Loope and Cigar Rights of America, the cigar industry's organization is better than ever. And it is made up of people who refuse to lose this fight for traditional liberties.

It's funny, yesterday was July 4th and I was watching the John Adams miniseries on HBO, and Paul Giamatti (who played John Adams) was constantly with a cigar in hand. It made me wonder, what would John Adams and the other Founding Fathers say today if they could see the direction our country has taken in terms of standard rights such as smoking? What would he say if while traveling through New York City right after the revolution, a soldier came up to him and told him he had to put his cigar out? And what if he were warned of the health risks of cigar smoking every single day he lit one up by those around him? Maybe he would point to his 91 years of life and ask them to explain that one to him. This July 4th season, let's remember some of our basic liberties, ones that many people don't even pay attention to, and just think about what we can do to bring these back, in all ways big or small.

Mike