Cigar industry interest in "roll-your-own" regulation – 2/1/11

Q: A Maryland state legislator, who has been supportive of a flavored cigar ban, was approached by the cigar industry seeking his support on a "paraphernalia" bill that would restrict the sales of rolling papers. Have other states been approached? Limiting rolling papers and "roll-your-own" is obviously good for the cigar industry and potentially good for the state as well, but considering the source, do states have any further thoughts on this?

A:

1. Missouri: Missouri did have legislation introduced to classify tobacco blunt wraps as drug paraphernalia. This would include any individual tobacco wrapper, also known as a wrap or roll-your-own cigar wrap, that is made wholly or in part from tobacco, including reconstituted tobacco, whether in the form of tobacco leaf, sheet, or tube.
    
2. Nebraska: In Nebraska, the Cigar Association of America is supporting a bill to restrict the use and sale of blunt wrap tobacco wrappers. Here is a link to the bill that was introduced this year. We have reviewed the bill and did not see anything of concern. I’m assuming that other states will see similar bills and would be interested to hear if there are concerns from about the language especially given who is pushing the bill.
    
3. West Virginia: There is NO doubt that the industry will continue their predatory ways – even now preying on each other to garner more of the dwindling market share of tobacco product sales. Another industry tactic is that this tobacco-industry sponsored bill would show that “the industry is concerned.”
    
   Indeed, limiting rolling papers and "roll-your-own" products could be viewed as a way to limit use of unfiltered and poorly processed tobacco products, and this would obviously be good for the both the cigar and cigarette industry.
    
   Typically, tobacco-product distributors will boast that their products help people to saving money by rolling their own cigarettes. Of course, these papers are also used to roll other substances, synthetics for smoking.

Editor’s note: “Roll-your-own” legislation in the news, January 2011:

• Idaho: Senate group proposes ban on cigar-rolling papers, also known as 'blunt wraps'
• Illinois: State lawmakers may snuff out rolling paper sales
• Update: House lawmakers roast blunt wraps ban
• Pennsylvania: Pa. high court nixes Philly tobacco product sale rules
• Oregon: Bill would ban ‘blunt wraps’: The cigar industry is pushing the proposal in a number of states citing a connection to marijuana use

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