Cigars get smoked too

[Jimmy2]

Cigars get smoked too

When smokers across the province comply with a strict new law that bans smoking rooms in all enclosed public areas and workplaces next week, cigar smokers say they will feel the pain more than others.

"Cigar smoking used to be a status symbol -- now people look at you like you're high on drugs," said Butch Grant, 35, settled into a leather armchair in the smoker's lounge of La Casa del Habano, a tobacconist shop off the lobby of the Park Hyatt Hotel that is closing and moving to a smaller, lounge-less space on Cumberland Avenue.

Close to a dozen similar lounges across the city will shut down next week, putting cigar smokers out on the street, and lumping them in with cigarette smokers, with whom they say they have little in common.

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act will close the door on the cigar subculture, a predominately male crowd that gathers to puff away from the reproach of the public and the complaints that can arise over this smelly pastime.

Cigar smokers know they represent a minority of smokers and that it's hard to gain any sympathy.

"This is our tree house," said John Perrone, 50, smoking in the upstairs lounge at Thomas Hinds Tobacconist in Yorkville, where the walls are lined with photos of Hollywood stars who have frequented the shop in years gone by.

"The new law has an edge of maliciousness to it. Give us our small corner and we'll stay there," he said.

Retailers are bracing for the worst. "The impact will be disastrous," said Thomas Hinds, who has been selling cigars and pipe tobacco in Yorkville for 35 years.

"People come here for a cigar because they don't want to smoke in front of their kids at home, and that's what this law is supposed to be about, protecting children, and I'm all for that," he said.

"Now, we have a situation where they won't have a place to go."

Quebec and Manitoba have let smoking continue inside existing cigar shops, he added.

"I smoke in my backyard, but part of the experience is getting together and socializing over a cigar," said Jeff Shin, 48, while smoking at Casa del Habano.

Others are concerned about the ban's potential impact on tourism.

"There is a cigar culture in Toronto that is also enjoyed by Americans who come here to smoke Cuban cigars," said U.S. citizen Stephen Hajtun, 59, smoking at Casa del Habano. Americans are not allowed to buy any Cuban products under a long-standing embargo.

Mr. Hajtun said the Ontario law goes too far.

"There are 80 places in Manhattan where you can still smoke a cigar and New York City has some of the most restrictive smoking laws anywhere."

The new law may also end up offending non-smokers even more than before.

Prego Della Piazza, across the street from Casa del Habano, is one of only a few Toronto restaurants where cigar smoking is allowed in a separate dining room. But when the ban comes into effect, cigar smokers will have to move to a patio outside.

"Cigar smell always travels and it's worse outside than inside because it gets carried by the wind," general manager Vince Carrere said.

Cigar smokers will gather for one last bash at the Drake Hotel on Queen Street West Tuesday night for a party where patrons will butt out en masse at the stroke of midnight, or step outside to begin life as street smokers.

"This law will affect the friendship and fellowship created by this common pursuit," said Mr. Perrone at Thomas Hinds' smoking room.

"I think we're going to enter the era of the smoke-easy."

[Erol]

its too bad, i can't really understand why tobbaconnists are affected... oh well.

[El Presidente]

I am all for Smoke-Easy's

The fight against the friendless, funless, sexless, tofu eating Fun Nazi's is well and truely underway. They gain their strength through legislative change. Their weakness (which they hate) is that they cannot control the good times, laughter, friendship, loyalty and fraternity which Cigar Clubs enjoy.

The secret is to take the battle out of stores, bars and clubs (the battle was lost long ago) and to take it to areas where thay cannot fight.

Boards such as this, herf's with friends, cigars on a Sunday with a bottle of wine, fishing, hunting, card games with mates.

I would never light up a cigar in a restaurant with diners I do not know. However...cigars banned on a Golf Course....take it off me. Cigars banned in my car...pull me over and take it off me.....Cigars banned on my balcony.....knock my door down and take it off me!!!

Resistance to totalitarian control is both enjoyable and self enriching

[Tampa1257]

» its too bad, i can't really understand why tobbaconnists are affected... oh

» well.

Erol, Why can you not understand the economic and social impact that this measure causes? Many Cigar Smokers look forward to socializing with other Cigar smokers at the local Tobacconist. This creates an atmosphere of relaxation and harmony for the cigar smokers and as such, they tend to buy more cigars. The consumer also has the added benefit of enjoying their cigars with other patrons in an acceptable location that is there for the enjoyment of cigars.

Making it illegal for the consumer to smoke a cigar where the principle product is cigars just makes absolutely no sense at all. It will hurt the revenue of the establishments and thus cause lower sales and smaller volume, thus it will cause an increase in price of the product as a result.

[hueynova]

» I am all for Smoke-Easy's

»

» The fight against the friendless, funless, sexless, tofu eating Fun Nazi's

» is well and truely underway. They gain their strength through legislative

» change. Their weakness (which they hate) is that they cannot control the

» good times, laughter, friendship, loyalty and fraternity which Cigar Clubs

» enjoy.

»

» The secret is to take the battle out of stores, bars and clubs (the battle

» was lost long ago) and to take it to areas where thay cannot fight.

» Boards such as this, herf's with friends, cigars on a Sunday with a bottle

» of wine, fishing, hunting, card games with mates.

»

» I would never light up a cigar in a restaurant with diners I do not know.

» However...cigars banned on a Golf Course....take it off me. Cigars banned

» in my car...pull me over and take it off me.....Cigars banned on my

» balcony.....knock my door down and take it off me!!!

»

» Resistance to totalitarian control is both enjoyable and self enriching

»

I second the motion for the Smoke-Easy!

California, too, is rather Nazi like in its anti smoking legislation. The newest Nazi measure up for vote in November is a tobacco tax, where they want to impose a 2 dollar tax on each carton of cigarettes. What they arent telling people is that they dont really mean a CARTON of 10 packs, they mean each PACK. So a 5 dollar pack of smokes will go up to $7. Cigars are going to be taxed between 30 and EIGHTY PERCENT, which Im sure will put cigar shops out of business right and left.

What justification to they use for this? "Oh, we're going to give the money to emergency rooms for patients with heart conditions." Um, right. Just like Lotto, where the state lottery money is going to schools. Which it is. But for every dollar Lotta puts into schools, legislation takes away because they want to use the money elsewhere. Net effect: our schools still suck, teachers pay is ridiculously low, and kids use outdated books.

Sorry for the rant, but these people really tick me off.

[Erol]

I'm sorry Tampa, what I meant was i don't understand why Ontario law wants to punish tobacconists..... I am siding with cigar smokers. Without cigar lounges there is less incentive to go in and buy smokes.

I agree 100% with what you say!

I didn't realize CA is tight with tobacco. I thought taxes in Ontario were bad... they run a lot of anti-smoking campaining here, however everyone is still smoking. The govmt makes a lot of money from tobacco, even though they probably spend a large portion on anti-smoking ads, I can't imagine them wanting to eliminate it completely.

» » its too bad, i can't really understand why tobbaconnists are affected...

» oh

» » well.

»

» Erol, Why can you not understand the economic and social impact that this

» measure causes? Many Cigar Smokers look forward to socializing with other

» Cigar smokers at the local Tobacconist. This creates an atmosphere of

» relaxation and harmony for the cigar smokers and as such, they tend to buy

» more cigars. The consumer also has the added benefit of enjoying their

» cigars with other patrons in an acceptable location that is there for the

» enjoyment of cigars.

»

» Making it illegal for the consumer to smoke a cigar where the principle

» product is cigars just makes absolutely no sense at all. It will hurt the

» revenue of the establishments and thus cause lower sales and smaller

» volume, thus it will cause an increase in price of the product as a

» result.