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good ol' days cigars® ...
"smokin' in the smokies"
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Legislative Concerns
| IPCPR Challenges Latest Smoking and Health Study |
International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) |
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IPCPR Labels Latest Study "Junk Science"
Rebuttal Previously Distributed to Media Outlets
Conclusions made by a new study of cigar and pipe smoking by researchers at the Columbia University Medical Center are not supported by the study's findings, says the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, a non-profit group of premium cigar retailers and manufacturers.
The study, published in the Feb. 15 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, was funded primarily by grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institutes of Health. The study concludes that "physicians should... counsel cessation of pipe and cigar smoking...."
"Nothing in the study justifies this erroneous conclusion. It is prejudicial and preconceived, thereby justifying the labeling of such surveys as corrupt misuse of junk science," said Chris McCalla, legislative director of the IPCPR which is comprised largely of some 2,000 neighborhood mom-and-pop retail stores and family-owned manufacturers of premium cigars, pipes, tobacco and related accoutrements. McCalla cited several features of the study that he said support his group's position:
Of 3,528 participants in the study, only 58 had ever smoked cigars or pipes and not cigarettes, and only 428 had smoked pipes or cigars along with cigarettes.
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Only 47 of the subjects were current cigar smokers, of which only 16 were current cigar smokers who had never smoked cigarettes. Of the cigar smokers, 95 percent were male, but only 34 percent of non-smokers were men.
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There was no effort in the study to determine the type of cigar smoked - machine-made or premium, hand-made cigars. The study showed no clinical effect on lung function in cigar smokers.
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There were no differences in airflow obstruction between cigar smokers and non-smokers.
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Cotinine levels (a form of nicotine) were similar in cigar smokers and non-smokers.
"The study found no clinical differences between cigar smokers and non-smokers and to draw conclusions to the contrary is to participate in a conspiracy of public disinformation and deception," McCalla said.
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This nationally-distributed press release is based on extensive work from your Association's Washington, D.C.-based consultant firm that specializes in FDA and Health issues. Following the story's original release (click here to view that article), we felt it necessary to set formally refute its unfounded claims and foundations rooted in continued "Junk Science."
We are taking this opportunity to share with all of you one of the many press releases sent to date. This demonstrates yet another attempt by the anti-tobacco establishment and Tobacco Control at governmental levels to further promulgate hysterical myths, bad science, and propaganda in their missions to mislead and misinform.
You may find this article an invaluable resource when writing a letter to the editor of your local paper or state representatives. You may also find it a good source for future testimony, or other uses.
As always, if you should have any questions about this article or other legislative issues, please do not hesitate to contact me.
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The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association is a not-for-profit trade association organized as the advocate for the independent retail tobacconist and recognized as the "Voice of Authority and Reason" on premium tobacco related issues.
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Urgent Request to Stop Huge Tobacco Tax Increase !!!
We just found out about a proposed 775% tax increase on pipe tobacco!
A new bill would raise the tax on pipe tobacco from $2.8311 to $24.78 per pound.
We have made it easy for you to take action. We have a free automated service that will email your Congressman and Senator.
We've already written the letter for you. You can write your own comments too if you like.
Perhaps you can pass this on to all of your employees, customers and friends.
The link is here:
http://www.rallycongress.com/stop-the-pipe-tobacco-tax/2826/stop-pipe-tobacco-tax/
Regards,
Kevin (Pipe Magazine)
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| Legislative Update: International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) |
April 2010
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The following is a summary of some the legislative issues we are currently monitoring and taken direct action. This specific update includes summaries on issues that have been detailed in previous state-directed notices.
If you may have specific questions about these or other issues, please contact me directly via email or call the IPCPR office, 706-494-1143.
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| Washington |
Following a long, drawn-out regular session with no resolution on proposed tobacco tax increases, the legislature ultimately approved tobacco tax increases in special session. In addition to a $1 per pack cigarette tax increase, the Other Tobacco Products (OTP) excise tax increases from 75% to 95%, and the cigar tax cap increases from 50 cents to 65 cents per cigar.
While far from pleased with these increases, the situation could have been much worse. Previous legislation called for a cigar tax equivalent to the cigarette tax--around $2 per cigar.
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| Kansas |
State legislators continue wrestling with proposed tobacco taxes--specifically Senate Bill 516-- legislation proposing to increase the OTP excise tax from 10% to 40%-- a 300% increase. Such a tax increase will severely impact cigar and pipe tobacco retail prices.
The IPCPR is currently working with industry allies to defeat this excessive, devistating tobacco tax increase. To support those efforts, we have initiated a Legislative Action Alert opposing SB516:
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| Oklahoma |
The state tax commissioner's office has now put on "hold' the new licensing requirements passed by the legislature in 2009 and set to take effect Jan. 1. 2010. Implementation of the new regulations had been previously postponed until April 1.
One provision that may have caused this latest postponement of the regulations is the fact that certain provisions may have prohibited Oklahoma retailers from acting as their own distributors, ordering product directly from out-of-state suppliers.
The next steps will be to work for a legislative correction for the licensing provisions in the 2011 session.
We would like to recognize the collaborative efforts between the Cigar Association of America (CAA) and key IPCPR retailers in working through this delicate, convoluted issue.
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| Alabama |
The state legislature continues working on legislation that will prohibit smoking in only the state's restaurants. The bill, Senate Bill 541, is very specific in its intent and does not include bars, cigar bars, or retail tobacco shops.
Though the bill only affects restaurants, the IPCPR activated a Legislative Action Alert so retailers and their customers may voice their opposition to more government control and draconian oversight:
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| California |
We still await the governor's expected veto of Senate Bill 4-- a bill, if approved, would ban smoking on all public beaches and in state parks. Its "intent" is to prevent littering--an angle the governor has publicly criticized as misguided.
To encourage the governor to carry out his veto threat, we initiated a Legislative Action Alert. That alert will remain active until the governor's veto.
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Sincerely,
Chris McCalla, Legislative Director
International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR)
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