Metro Cigar News Fall 1999

Where does the regulation of private life end?
Let's see now, you can't drive unless you are wearing a seat belt without risking a ticket; some jurisdictions are still dry and you can't get an adult beverage or purchase a bottle for home consumption at a social event; you can't smoke in a restaurant or in your office.

How far does social legislation go before it becomes akin to Big Brother watching over you?

There is a move afoot in congress now to ban the sale of cigars over the Internet, by mail order and to prohibit walk-in humidors or display of cigars for sale in public view.

That is about as draconian as can get
The bill, H.R. 2579 was introduced by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and co-sponsored by six other Members of Congress.

In its short form the bill would put into effect all of the above items. It also mandates that "A retailer of cigars shall ensure that all cigars are located in areas where customers do not have direct access to the cigars."

The bill opens with a requirement that cigars not be sold to youngsters, a move that few would disagree with. But from that innocent premise it moves full steam into the personal rights of every man and woman who enjoys a cigar.

The legislation would even ban cigar placement in movies. Imagine James Bond sucking on a lollipop.

In his statement accompanying the legislation, Rep. Markey contends that many youngsters "... had smoked a cigar in the month before..." a survey that questioned them on the subject found.

Imagine that; they may have smoked a cigar. How many cigarettes did they have in that same period and how many of them had more than their share of Jack Daniels?

If statistics were balanced, it would show that far more youngsters binge drink and then drive than those who may have a cigar. Which is the greater danger?

Let's discourage children from smoking; but let's not visit legislation that should be aimed at children on adults.

Markey's bill would equate cigars with pornography. Imagine, they can't be seen in a store in public. Will they require them to be placed in a plain brown wrapper so that no one will know what you've just bought?

Years ago a New Jersey State Assemblyman named Harold Martin attempted to prohibit smoking the State House in Trenton. When he received little support for his initiative, he stole every ashtray in the building.

All he succeeded in doing was to have people grind out their cigarettes on the floor.

Let's not go from the sublime to the ridiculous with the efforts of those who would limit the rights of others while they demand their own civil liberties.

Keep cigars and cigarettes and booze as well, out of the hands of underage children. But let's not ban mail order or Internet sales and the display of cigars in humidors from adults. How absurd can you get?