Monday, February 09 2009
Blog by Owen Morris
The Pitch (Kansas City)
Enjoying the lovely weather this weekend, I found myself smoking a cigar. It's a habit I picked up from my high-school graduation party when a friend's dad gave me a Cuban as a present. I smoked half of it because he practically yanked it out of my mouth. "Anymore than that and you'll feel sick later," he told me. He was wrong. I felt sick from just that half -- but not enough to give up the practice.
Back then cigars were rare treats, but for the last couple of years they sat in a sweet spot. Web sites were selling good stogies starting at a buck a piece, and the smoking taxes that affected cigarettes largely left cigars alone.
Now that's changed. On February 5, President Barack Obama finally signed into law the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, which gives 8 million kids health care coverage (good thing!) while raising taxes on cigars. (Not so good thing.)
SCHIP will not ruin cigars continues...
