Another year and a new congress takes hold as we once again take the fight to exempt premium cigars from FDA regulations. Back in July of 2018, Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fl took to the Senate floor to fight for the premium cigar industry and co-sponored a bill, with then Senator Bill Nelson, D-Fla, to free premium cigars from FDA regulation. Now, less than 6 months later and just the first week of the 116th congress, Senator Rubio has re-introduced the bill.
The bill is titled;
S.9 – A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify the Food and Drug Administration’s jurisdiction over certain tobacco products, and to protect jobs and small businesses involved in the sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars.
The bill was introduced January 3, 2018 in the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
This bi-partisan bill has been co-sponsored by:
| Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO] |
| Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] |
| Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] |
| Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] |
| Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] |
Senator Rubio stated as part of his 2019 legislative priorities
“I will also continue the fight for small, traditional cigar manufacturers, a quintessential Florida industry, that are on the verge of being snuffed out by egregious federal overreach.”
This morning, WTVT’s Good Day Tampa Bay, went to the J.C. Newman Factory, the oldest cigar factory in the country and discussed the bill with owner Bobby Newman. In the report, they note that Rubio believes the regulations could cost the factory $30 Million/year. Bobby Newman also notes that the company is currently paying $3,200/day just in user fees. The must see report can be seen here: