Here's a Link to Fight the New FDA Regulations

[simnettpratt]

pipesandcigars has a link where you can fight the new FDA regulations. The two biggest issues are, they want to define a 'premium' cigar as one costing $10 or more. Your under $10 cigars would be lumped into the less than 100% tobacco cigars from the Quickie Mart, which could make some brands disappear, or manufacturers will raise their prices to make the cigars 'premium' $10 cigars.
For pipe tobacco, any blend made after February 15, 2007, would have to undergo testing that would cost thousands of dollars, on each individual blend. Obviously, those blends might be pulled from the market, or rendered unaffordable. Here's the link from pipesandcigars to contact your congressman and senator to oppose the new regulations:
Fight FDA Regulations

 

[cacooper]

All I can say is good luck with that. We had our chance to stop the FDA in 2008. But we voted for change and change is what we're going to get, like it or not. The FDA, like the EPA, is un-elected and un-accountable. Writing your legislators is, frankly, a futile effort. The agenda is set and WILL be implemented, sorry to say.
Less choice and higher prices will be the new normal. Get prepared.
Find your favorites and cellar deep.
No cheers.
CACooper

 

[blendtobac]

The more people who comment, the slower the process will go, because the FDA is obligated to respond to each comment. This will allow more time for the industry groups to offer more sensible alternatives. All of us in the industry urge people to get involved. It's the best chance we have to change or soften the draconian proposed regulations.
Russ

 

[bulletsnbriars]

Getting on this right away. Im taking my tobacco rights as seriously as my gun rights. If one goes, the other will follow. Lets band together and shoot this down just like gun owners did after Newton. They did it, so can we.

 

[bulletsnbriars]

Agreed. As George Carlin once said- "Its all bullshit folks. And it's bad for ya."

 

[sailorjeremy]

Submitted mine

 

[fadingdaylight]

My comment is submitted as well. I hope everyone gets involved in this, I don't feel like paying 10 bucks for a $3 cigar is very reasonable at all. Whatever I can do to help stop, slow, delay the process, or just be a pain in the system's ass, I will do it. Thanks to Russ and the guys at P&C for setting up the link and making it easy for us to do our part.

 

[macattack]

The FDA, like the EPA, is un-elected and un-accountable.

You say that as if those that are elected are held accountable.

 

[antbauers]

I was going to post this, glad someone did. Everybody that smokes cigars or pipes needs to do this. At the very least every PM member.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

OP, do you (or someone else) know if the pipe tobacco regulations would affect only newly developed blends (post 2007), or would it affect older blends manufactured after that date? Anyone know what they would be tested for?

 

[simnettpratt]

As I understand it from the P&C link, only new blends post 2007 would be affected, those blended earlier would be grandfathered in. But there are a lot of newer blends you might like. I don't know exactly what they would be tested for, only that it would cost a lot for each new blend, which would either kill them or make them unaffordable.
Also, when governments take power, they don't give it back, and only use it as a precedent to take even more power. As Russ says:

All of us in the industry urge people to get involved. It's the best chance we have to change or soften the draconian proposed regulations.

 

[spartan]

When it asks for a category, which is the most appropriate to choose?

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

I breezed over the actual proposed regulation, and while it is pretty dry, I gleaned a few tidbits, focusing more on pipe tobacco-

1. Packaging would require labeling that basically lists a recipe of everything that is in a blend, including percentages of domestic or imported tobaccos

2. Blends would need to be tested for pesticide levels. This would probably be expensive, but otherwise sounds like a decent idea to me.

3. Pre-2007 blends would be grandfathered in if they were marketed in the US before that- however, this point is confusing. The FDA says they think that "most" tobacco products would be subject to the regulation.

 

[spartan]

When foods list their ingredients they list them in order of most to least, but list no percentages.
This is dumb.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Well guarded blend recipes wouldn't be possible, clearly. I would think this would put off manufacturers of some of the best blends.

 

[spartan]

There's not enough people jumping on this. :crazy:
B-B-B-B-BUMP
Takes less than a minute to comment. It's the least you can do.

 

[drover]

Another BUMP for this thread. Please send your comments while you can.

 

[holysmoker]

They see the comments and think that thy must be doing the right thing since all the evil pipe smokers hate it!

 

[holysmoker]

Does this also effect blends that are made outside the usa but sold here? Game and Dutch masters aren't 100 tobacco?

 

[phil67]

Clicked on the link and it says: 'Document FDA-2014-N-0189-0001 is no longer open for comment.'