A bill introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives could bring an end to being able to order cigars and have them shipped via the United States Postal Service, as well as add more onerous requirements to have cigars sent to you.

H.R. 3042, known as the “Stop Tobacco Sales to Youth Act of 2015,” was introduced by Connecticut Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro and Elizabeth Etsy on July 13 and subsequently referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

The bill seeks to make it harder for children to obtain both electronic cigarettes and nicotine devices as well as cigars and hookah, both of which can currently be sold online and shipped via the USPS. It would do this by amending the Jenkins Act of 1949, which requires anyone who sells cigarettes across state lines to report the sale to the buyer’s state tobacco tax administrator.

Current federal law also requires anyone wanting to buy cigarettes, rolling tobacco, chewing tobacco or snuff to verify their age both at the time of sale and upon delivery. The bill seeks to bring cigars and other products in line with this by requiring age verification for the purchase of cigars both during the transaction and at time of delivery, as well as prohibiting the shipping of these products via the USPS.

The bill has already gained the support of four cosponsors, John Garamendi (D-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.