New FDA tobacco rules appear to ban cigar donations to troops

[Professor Twain]

I haven't paid a lot of attention to the new FDA cigar rules. Although I know they will cause a lot of trouble for the cigar industry in the US, I have a healthy supply of Habanos in stock and won't be terribly inconvenienced by the changes that could occur when I buy the occasional non Cuban cigar.

But this story really burns me. http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/cigars-for-the-troops/2291318

Cigar companies are banned from making donations of cigar products, including to troops serving overseas. One quote really surprised me, referring to gift packages, "Cigars are the second-most-requested item in those packages, behind coffee and ahead of toothpaste and tube socks."

I guess the origins of this rule are bans on giveaways of cigarettes that were seen as pushing the product. But since the health effects of occasional cigar smoking is trivial (I'll make a post about this shortly) these rules are truly swatting a fly with an elephant gun.

I've made personal donations of cigars to US troops serving overseas in the past. If the cigar companies are not allowed to do it, perhaps private groups can.

[Charltonc]

Despicable move by the government.

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[topdiesel]

What a pile of BS...

 

I have donated a lot cigars to the troops.  If cigar companies want to donate to the troops it should be applauded not banned.

[StumpyJoe]

I'm sure the fine folks at the FDA are fearful of the negative health impacts on soldiers in combat zones...hey, wait a minute!

[PapaDisco]

Just how politically correct can you make the modern soldier? 

I suppose this harkens back to WWII and the practice of the cigarette companies sending the troops free cigs.  Later this was implicated in increased rates of cigarette addiction.

[Ribeye]

If I was one of these retailers,  I would drive the parcels to another post office and send them without my company name attached.  Plain packaging at its finest!

[Squarehead]

Round those idiots from the FDA, which smoke, up and send them to the frontlines of any conflict without ever having the benefit of care packages