The Food and Drug Administration’s effort to regulate the premium cigar industry took a step forward recently, as the proposed rule on regulating cigars has moved from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The OMB will analyze the rule and determine its economic impact on the industry before releasing it for public comment. The proposed rule can be viewed here.

The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) sent out an advisory to their members on Monday night, and indicated that while they anticipated the process to be initiated before the end of October, the recent government shutdown has shifted their expectations for the rule to be released before the end of November.

Kip Talley, the IPCPR’s Senior Director of Federal Legislative Affairs, told members that the organization “continue(s) to remain vigilant and are engrossed in protecting the needs of premium tobacco retailers and our industry partners.” He noted that the IPCPR will soon introduce a “customized grassroots email system to support our efforts” that will allow retailers and consumers to contact their elected officials and submit comment to the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products.

In his e-mail, Talley added that “while we do not know the detailed content of the proposed rule, we do know it has the potential to impact your small business and the premium cigar industry.”

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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.