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America’s War on Cigars

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  • Description

    Rocky Patel of Rocky Patel Premium Cigars discusses how new FDA regulations will impact the industry.

  • Duration 5:58
  • Date

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One thing about defending individual liberty is that sometimes you need to defend their actions I did -- -- a lot about what I -- -- -- trouble with sex workers with recreational drug users with gamblers.

That there is one group -- war.

I'm talking about you Rush Limbaugh.

You Clarence Thomas.

The UHL.

Mencken talking about your disgusting drug happen.

You smoke the -- cigar.

These can stink up a whole neighborhood.

I think there should be laws that prevent people from smoking there is in public places.

But rocky Patel says I'm being on reasonable he owns one of the biggest American cigar company so.

-- you must agree to put many of us these stick this is awful and it's reasonable to -- some places.

Well John it's an art form it's a culture that's transcended over generations.

Once you actually learn how to enjoy cigars like -- agreed follow why and -- great -- coffee.

And really most cigar smokers are very respectful of people and they've tried not to infringe on anybody's rights but they want the right and privilege to enjoy -- this is a legal product it's an art form it's wonderful and something unique and we can enjoy -- and cigar -- I can enjoy -- Naples Florida on the beach upon not sitting next to anybody and not infringing on the rights -- -- our great great concept but.

There are reasonable.

Air pollution rules noise pollution rules you don't have a right to be a public nuisance.

He's can be a public nuisance mean I live in -- One guy on one block.

Is offending lots of people on the block human beyond all that taxing pollution and bust below and -- everything else got tell -- could come winners and certainly be able to go to a cigar lounge a cigar store and smoke and that.

And if you decide that you wanna have a restaurant where you just want smokers smoking cigars you have the -- right to choose whether you wanna patronize that restaurant and not yet not this is one area where we're in agreement -- and let's explain this to the viewers there are places called cigar a lot Hutus were consenting adults going to enclosed space.

So I'm not exposed people who don't wanna be there and exposed and some places wanna ban these right and then we have stated the art ventilation are open to please call -- in Naples Florida and we spent a ton of money to make sure every sixty seconds we have a 100% fresh air.

And you have cigar stores and wonderful lounges across this country everywhere and people should be able to enjoy a premium -- and enjoy this because.

It -- yes cigarette smoker smoking cigarettes.

And cigar smoker for four cigars and unfortunately.

We -- -- under us all -- toll under assault and this truly is a labor of love it's an art Foreman.

People enjoyed that for not infringing on -- we should be able to have the right to -- rates -- San Francisco bands indoor cigar lounges entirely.

Boston told cigar bars they have ten years to close this right and in the city of New York.

I'm not sure grandfathered and you can't smoke anywhere else you can't open another cigar lounge and his lounges create a lot of jobs and the cigar industry.

Just in the United States responsible about 85000 jobs.

And what this new and pending FDA regulation where the FDA now is looking to regulate something they know nothing about we're looking at actually destroying.

All these jobs and a and an industry that is really an artist the FDA want to do and how would that destroy job -- what the FDA is doing is they want to regulate all tobacco and on -- cigars happens to be the pun intended consequence.

You have for example here this is a block a -- it's called.

A cigar because right now the definition of -- premium cigars very very broad.

That includes product like this which is just of tobacco leaf.

Like this there comes in a plastic tube like this and you just on rapid and guess what you -- what.

-- marijuana can call -- metal bulletin there after products like these.

Unfortunately.

We fall in the same category because the definitions too broad.

So what we've done is introduce legislation to narrow the definition what a premium cigar is.

It's going to be all natural tobacco at some -- -- pounds -- thousand.

And we have right now 160 -- sponsors in the house supporting this legislation.

-- give premium cigars and exemption from FDA regulation.

See this is why say that that capitalists of the worst enemies of capitalism because here's this guy saying.

It's okay regulate the other guys but we premium guys should have an exempt actually we're all for deregulation.

Of everything okay we don't want that were done just pointing out that we happened.

To be falling as the unintended consequence of something that they're after but it's very very hard and you know Everest when the -- is down your throat and they might virtually destroy your entire business.

This beautiful box would have 75%.

Warning stickers ugly warning stickers on it.

Every time I decide to make a blend I would have to submit it to the FDA.

Make sure they were past the blend so that I could actually.

-- -- -- value from introducing new doubt have to go through case studies like -- pharmaceutical drug would cost me a million house -- -- -- Richard Blumenthal the ridiculous senator from Connecticut says cigars poses serious threat to public health.

Well you know unfortunately.

Nobody's done their research they're not educated about cigars they have no idea about the concept of cigars this is something so wrong -- -- blue collar worker whether you're CEO a doctor you get together and -- conversation they do -- but that the government can't.

Tell the difference between consenting adults and cigar lounge or -- walking human door and public.

A Paul Smith -- you rocky Patel.

-- --

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