From our friends at Cigar Inspector.
FDA Subjects Cigars to Regulation
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's ("FDA") released their 499 page final rule that would deem additional tobacco products subject to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Under today's release, premium cigars will be subjected to the "Option 1" regulatory framework, which in some respects treats premium cigars in harsher terms than that of cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The day has come. Option 1, the harshest option, means that all new products (released after Aug 6 2016) will have to obtain FDA's approval to be allowed to the market. Cigars that were introduced before Feb 15 2007 will be grandfathered and will be exempt from regulation. Cigars that were released between these two dates will remain on the market but will have to be submitted for approval in the meantime.
While this is definitely bad news, this is not the end for the cigar industry. The Congress can still vote exemption for premium cigars within the Agriculture bill. We shouldn't give up now, so don't hesitate to get in touch with your representatives, support organizations like CRA (Cigar Rights of America) and spread the word. We believe the cigar industry is strong enough to adapt to these regulations.