Jason Lois, the national sales manager for Crossfire Cigars, has announced he is leaving both the company and the cigar industry as a result of FDA regulation.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday morning, Lois said that the uncertainty about the future of the cigar industry that comes with FDA regulation was the cause for his departure. “With the looming FDA regs and the industry in an uncertain state I have to do what’s best for my family,” he wrote.

Lois told halfwheel that while he was excited about what Crossfire had on the horizon and new projects they were planning to come out with, the uncertainty that FDA regulation brings was simply too hard to swallow. He added that it was becoming hard for him to go to retailers and lay the groundwork for a relationship when the future of the industry six months or a year down the road was filled with so much uncertainty.

Most recently, Lois had been instrumental in the launch of Crossfire Cigars’ Library Series, a set of three cigars released in a decorative book format.

In addition to his role as national sales manager, Lois also served as the brand manager and primary ambassador for Crossfire Cigars. He said he will continue to support the brand in a limited capacity, doing some small, local events and offering support to the brand where he can.

Lois started with Crossfire Cigars in February 2015. Prior to that he was the owner of Executive Cigar, LLC, a tobacco retailer in Simpsonville, Ken. He will now be working outside the cigar industry for a marketing company.

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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.