A new bill has come up before the Maryland legislature that would greatly harm all of the tobacconists (and by extension, cigarsmokers) in the state. House Bill 88 would, among other things, restrict tobacconists to purchasing cigars solely from in-state distributors. This would increase the wholesale cost of cigars to the retailers, who would be forced to pass the cost onto you, the consumer. Please take action, and tell your representatives to oppose HB88.

This sounds a lot like the tangled web of legislation that keeps wine from being purchased and shipped across some state lines. Because of this, citizens in several states can’t mail-order specialty/limited-run wines that aren’t found in their local retailers. This has to be stopped now for cigars or we’ll have to fight our way back up the mountain.

Update: Here is a link to HB88 details on the Maryland General Assembly website.