Minneapolis City Council Preserves Cigar Sampling Exemption, But Limits it to 15 Minutes

Being able to light up a cigar in a Minneapolis cigar lounge has only been allowable thanks to a loophole in the city’s laws that allowed for the “sampling” of a product. However, that exemption has recently come under scrutiny as members of the Minneapolis City Council have looked to reduce tobacco use in the city. Today, the council considered an ordinance that would not only eliminate that exemption but impose a number of other changes, most notably a $15 per pack minimum on cigarettes as well as other tobacco products such as moist snuff and snus.

While the ordinance ultimately passed during Thursday’s council meeting, the cigar sampling exemption remained, but with an interesting amedment to it. While sampling will still be allowed, it will be limited to just 15 minutes per visit, or 15 minutes per 60 minutes of time, as of December 1.

“The person won’t be able to sit down and just smoke a cigar, right, like, it really is about sampling,” said Councilmember LaTrisha Vetaw, when asked to clarify why she proposed the time limit. She said that people in testimony described the exemption as creating a place where people could go and smoke with their friends, using a derogatory tone while describing customers who would “congregate” to sample a cigar in each other’s company. Vetaw had also proposed a ban on the store providing seating to its customers, though that was voted down by a 9-4 vote amidst concerns for those with disabilities and other needs.

The change is limited in its effect, as there is only one cigar store in the city that is utilizing the exemption, Anthony’s Pipe and Cigar Lounge. The exemption will not be granted to new stores, as the amendment requires that stores be operating and offering sampling as of April 1, 2024 in order to gain the exemption.

The amendment to carve out the exemption was proposed by Councilmember Aisha Chughtai, who represents the district where Anthony’s Pipe and Cigar Lounge is located. She said that she appreciated all of the public health benefits brought forward in the ordinance, but also recognized that preserving the exemption would allow the store to stay in business and remain a benefit to the district. The amendment passed by a 10-3 vote, but was then amended by Vetaw, which imposed the time limit of 15 minutes, an amendment passed by a 12-0 vote with one abstention.

Beyond the cigar sampling loophole, the ordinance ends price discounts and coupons for commercial tobacco products and increases the penalties for licensees that violate city policy.

Minneapolis’ mayor, Jacob Frey, has previously said he supports the changes made by the ordinance.

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 Major League Baseball, 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.