Cigars-Etc

A national study, conducted by the RAND Corporation, Center for Studying Health System Change, University of Wisconsin and Stanford University, was published in the Winter 2011 issue of the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management and concludes, in part:

 We find no evidence that legislated U.S. smoking bans were associated with short term reductions in hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction or other diseases in the elderly, children, or working-age adults … In contrast with smaller regional studies, we find that smoking bans are not associated with statistically significant short-term declines in mortality or hospital admissions for myocardial infarction or other diseases.

 These findings deal another blow to the scientific credibility of the increasingly out-of-control anti-smoking community as the national study conclusions prove to be in direct contrast to the results found in the much smaller, regional studies.

 Boston University health professor Michael Siegel – no friend of tobacco – praised the new study, writing in his blog entry that:

 Without a doubt, this is the most definitive study yet conducted of the short-term effects of smoking.� This study fails to find any significant short-term effect of smoking bans on heart attack admissions or heart attack mortality, although a small effect cannot be ruled out. The study refutes the claims from previous studies that smoking bans result in a short-term reduction in heart attacks in the range of 20-40%, as many anti-smoking groups are asserting. It also refutes the conclusion of the Institute of Medicine that smoking bans result in immediate, substantial declines in heart attack admissions.

 To give you an idea of the scope of this study compared to previous ones, the Helena [Montana] study involved a total of 304 heart attack admissions in one community over a period of six months. This study examined a total of 673,631 heart attack admissions and more than 2 million heart attack deaths in 467 counties across all 50 states over a 16-year period.

Disclaimer: CIGARS ETC. does not sell to individuals under 18 yrs of age

POLL SHOWS ONLY 17% FAVOR TOBACCO PROHIBITION

I’ve written a few posts about how more and more states are introducing legislation to ban smoking.  Finally,  there’s some positive news.  A new national poll shows Americans don’t want to ban smoking altogether.

A Rasmussen Reports* telephone poll released on November 19, 2010 found that only 17% of Americans want smoking banned entirely, down significantly from 22% in December 2008. A whopping total of 72% said tobacco smoking should not be banned and 11% were not sure. Even among non-smokers, only 19% approved of a total ban on smoking,

Americans are not comfortable with the word “ban.”  Even though the government is trying to save us from ourselves, the concept of banning does not sit well with the majority of us. We enjoy living in the freest country in the world.

But are the individual freedoms we hold near and dear gradually sliding away from us? To protect ourselves, we’ve willingly accepted automobile seat belts and helmets for bicycle and motorcycle riders.  To remain safe from terrorists, we’ve subjected ourselves to the security policies and procedures that are mandatory if we want to fly on commercial airlines.

It looks like soon every airport will have full body scans.  Is this the tipping point between safety and security vs. unreasonable search and seizure?  Is this the tipping point between our rights of privacy vs. the path to a police state?

Presumably, the more freedoms we relinquish, the safer we’ll be.  Is it worth the price?

I’d like to hear your opinion.

Jim

Disclaimer: CIGARS ETC. does not sell to individuals under 18 yrs of age

In my October 12 post I wrote about a 3,000-member group in Michigan that boycotted the Michigan State lottery on Fridays as a way to protest the smoking ban that went into effect state-wide on May 1.

Here’s an update on what’s happened to Michigan’s small businesses since the May 1 ban.

Lance Binoniemi, Executive Director of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, said 75% of 450 member bars and restaurants surveyed statewide reported a dip in profits in May, June & July, compared with the same period in 2009. (the beverage trade group has 2,500 members overall).

“We’ve seen (that the ban) has affected everyone (in the industry) from those with $1 million a year in sales to the smaller guy,  Binoniemi said.  And it’s coupled with the bad economy. It couldn’t have been a worse time to implement the law.”

Binoniemi said that the Association’s August 2010 survey showed that the law had its biggest impact on smaller businesses with annual sales of $250,000 or less.  He said these businesses reported an average sales decline of 27% in May, June and July compared with the same period in 2009.

As a small business owner, it’s extremely difficult to bounce back from such a significant decrease in sales.   Unfortunately, my final statement in my earlier post is proving accurate – Small business owners ultimately suffer.

Jim

Disclaimer: CIGARS ETC. does not sell to individuals under 18 yrs of age

Last week the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously (13-0) to request that the City Attorney prepare an ordinance that would ban smoking in “all public areas and common areas where people congregate.”

The motion was made two years ago but took a back seat to other measures.  It’s back again, but the word games that are being played with this issue are priceless.  Councilman Bernard Parks, who originally presented the motion two years ago, said that the idea is not to ban smoking, but regulate where it can be done. (bold type is mine).  Say what????

Already included in the City’s list of where smoking is prohibited are indoor and outdoor businesses, hotels, parks, apartment common areas, restaurants and bars, and beaches.  This new ordinance strives to extend the prohibition on smoking to tobacco shops, even on the streets at public events and street corners.

However, no one is offering a plan on how to enforce the new smoking ban, (oops, regulate where it can be done).  The Los Angeles City Attorney in the past has convinced the Council members that people will simply obey the new law and enforcement activity will not be needed. You’ve got to be kidding!!!!!!

Just in time for the holidays, I dedicate the picture below to the Los Angeles City Council.

Jim

Disclaimer: CIGARS ETC. does not sell to individuals under 18 yrs of age

The NEW La Gloria Cubana Series N is the sister brand to the critically-acclaimed La Gloria Cubana Series R.  Through artisanal blending and by employing specific frontmarks to maximize the unique flavor, this stimulating, full-bodied offering is punctuated by spicy notes and balanced to reveal a refined smoke.

Wrapper:    Capa Ascura

Filler:           Nicaraguan Proprietary

Binder:         Nicaraguan Proprietary

Country:       Dominican Republic

This is a world-class smoke you won’t want to miss!! I’ve smoked it and LOVE it!!

Why not make this distinctive-looking cigar (it’s nearly black) the perfect ending to a sumptuous Thanksgiving meal on November 25th?

The Series N comes in four different sizes and ranges in price from $5.99 – $7.19.

Jim, K., Owner

Disclaimer: CIGARS ETC. does not sell to individuals under 18 yrs of age.

Two well-known and highly regarded government bodies disagree about second hand smoke, yet the anti-smoking lobby continues to cite the 2006 report of the Surgeon General  while ignoring the findings of the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

The phrase below – from the Surgeon General’s 2006 report  (“The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke”) continues to be the rallying cry of the anti-smoking lobby:

The scientific evidence indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

However, the government agency responsible for safety in the workplace can cite numerous studies that contradict the Surgeon General’s (mis) statement.  If you’re a devoted cigar smoker like me, the next time someone points to the dangers of second hand smoke, refer to the following findings:

OSHA lists hundreds of pollutants in a table called “Limits for Air Contaminants.”  This source of “permissible exposure limits” shows nicotine at a permissible limit of 0.5 milligrams per cubic meter over an eight hour day.  This is a miniscule amount.

Sorry, but here comes the math:    1,000 milligrams (mg) = 1 gram.

Studies that measure nicotine in the air use micrograms, which are 1/1000th of a milligram.  That means that 0.5 mg – the OSHA standard for exposure to nicotine – is 500 micrograms.

You can’t remember every study to “enlighten” anti-smokers who repeatedly remind us of the Surgeon General’s report, but here are two studies by very prestigious organizations you should memorize whenever tobacco haters bring up the dangers of secondhand smoke to you:

1)      In 2007, John Hopkins University (Baltimore) conducted a study of Baltimore bars.  The air nicotine exposure in the bars ranged from 2.1 to 16.9 micrograms per cubic meter.  That’s not even close to OSHA’s permissible nicotine level of 500 micrograms!

2)      The American Cancer Society studied smoking levels in Western New York bars in 2004. Air nicotine exposure over eight hours in bars with no bans against smoking varied between 539 and 940 nanograms.   Back again to OSHA’s permissible exposure of 500 micrograms.   It takes 500,000 nanograms to equal 500 micrograms.  Again, miniscule exposure.

Sorry again for subjecting you, not only to math, but to the metric system.

By the way, here’s a bit of interesting  trivia.  Did you know only three  countries in the world DO NOT use the metric system.  They are:   Liberia,  Myanmar (formerly Burma) and the United States of America!!

If you have any questions or comments about my latest Rant, use the comment box below.

Thanks,

Jim

Disclaimer: CIGARS ETC. does not sell to individuals under 18 yrs of age.

Source of information: Cigar News, Cigarcyclopedia, “No Safe Level of Secondhand Smoke? That’s Not What OSHA Says!”

When President Obama renewed the Cuban Embargo last month, he said his decision was in the national interest of the United States . And like clockwork, today the United Nations General Assembly — for the 19th consecutive year — overwhelmingly condemned the U.S. for renewing the Cuban trade embargo.

Is it just me, or is this continued renewal of the 48-year old trade embargo just totally ridiculous?

The world is a vastly different place than it was in 1962 when President Kennedy  imposed the trade embargo.  The evil empire – the Soviet Union – is gone.  The Berlin Wall fell 21 years ago.  The U.S. trades with other communist countries like China and Vietnam.  We even traded with the Soviet Union back when they were our arch enemy.

Sad to say, but I seriously doubt the trade embargo with Cuba will be lifted in my lifetime.

Send me your Comments on why you think the U.S. continues to be at war with Cuba.

Jim

Disclaimer: CIGARS ETC. does not sell to individuals under 18 yrs of age.

One of the top manufacturers of premium cigars, Perdomo, has taken a calculated risk by rolling back its prices to 2007 levels – and it’s working!!

Perdomo is counting on the loyalty of its retail customer base to increase their order volumes.  That’s just what I did and my customers are thrilled with the lower prices I’ve passed along to them on Perdomo cigars.   It’s a win-win-win situation.  Perdomo has increased volume sales with its retailers, I’m happy to be able to offer my customers a great value and my customers are happy to have the same quality premium cigars from Perdomo at a more affordable price.  It’s very smart marketing by Perdomo.

Jim

Disclaimer: CIGARS ETC. does not sell to individuals under 18 yrs of age.