Friday, December 02 2011
(Cigar Rights of America)
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- The cause of Cigar Liberty advanced this week, in the effort to ward off the heavy hand of the US Food & Drug Administration in their attempt to regulate cigars, with another U.S. Senator saying the agency should not be intruding into your humidor.
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee will be serving as a co-sponsor of S. 1461, the Senate companion bill to H.R. 1639, which if passed, would exempt premium/traditional cigars from FDA oversight. Senator Alexander is a member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Committee on Appropriations, Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, and Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Senator Alexander has been an ally in this cause well before S. 1461 existed. On March 28, 2011 , he signed a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, stating that “As labor intensive artisan products, premium cigars are designed for use and enjoyment by adults.”
He further noted in the letter signed jointly with Georgia U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, that the FDA should, “recognize the fundamental differences” of premium cigars, from the actual intent of Congressional passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.
Mathew Allen, President of the Tennessee Cigar Association stated, “We commend Senator Alexander for his support of S. 1461, and its importance to over sixty Tennessee small businesses that sell premium cigars, and the thousands of adult consumers that enjoy cigars throughout the state.
We certainly hope Senator Corker will join Senator Alexander in supporting this critical piece of legislation. This is an opportunity for our entire House and Senate delegation in Washington to protect Tennessee small business jobs, as well as the simple enjoyment of a cigar.”
Six of nine members of the Tennessee delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives have said ‘yes to freedom,' by serving as an HR 1639 co-sponsor. They include Representatives: Diane Black, Marsha Blackburn, Jim Cooper, Scott DesJarlais, Stephen Lee Fincher, and David Roe.
Mathew Allen, again for the Tennessee Cigar Association added, “We truly appreciate these members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee for their support of H.R. 1639, protecting Tennessee jobs and thousands like us across America . Our customers appreciate it, and we're going to make sure they know who is supporting this cause of freedom.”
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