& just like that & sans delving into legislative particulars, Tobacco 21 was signed into immediate federal existence December 20, 2019, as part of a $1.4T spending parcel; state rights be damned. Although possession enforcement is actually up to the state. It's a falling of dominoes... states have been passing 21 legal age minimums one-by-one for some time -- now -- BOOM.
But the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) will have you believe it is all some shade of a victory. They consider this legislature to be 'clean' -- sans anti-tobacco provisions. Basically, it coulda been a lot worse, according to them. Whew! However, this only holds water if 21 was the last falling domino. The ultimate goal of the dark nanny forces. It isn't. There are still others... bills looking for 25, & a full ban of online sales just to name a couple. The ultimate goal? Prohibition, perhaps. An idea/l with a lengthy history of success, I must sarcastically say.
Many in the cigar media are irate this was not fought harder against by PCA, Cigar Rights of America (CRA), et al. Worthy of mention is that these fine orgs. have an absolute pitiful record in fights. So much so, that I cringe when I hear them ask for money. Imagine you were an advertiser with Kaplowitz Media., now imagine you came to me feeling it wasn't bearing the fruit you'd hoped for. Now, imagine I countered your concern by asking you for more of your marketing money. That. Tho that isn't what this is about.
Perhaps then, like any miserable yet responsible parent or spouse, we wisely choose our battles. Nothing wrong with that & furthermore, I can see PCA's point to an extent. My issue is far more with how they/we fight than when/why. That is where we lose & also where we must learn from those losses. But how do we know, firstly, what we as an industry should fight? Here's where my plan kicks off... & oh... I have a plan...
It is time for the premium tobacco industry to form
a SELF-REGULATORY ORGANIZATION
"A self-regulatory organization (SRO) is an organization that exercises some degree of regulatory authority over an industry or profession. The regulatory authority could exist in place of government regulation, or applied in addition to government regulation. The ability of an SRO to exercise regulatory authority does not necessarily derive from a grant of authority from the government." - Wikipedia
Who would be in this org & by whose grace? Dunno. I'm more of an idea guy; but represented therein should be every aspect of the industry, seed to shelf; as well as consumers & media. & now how should we/they fight? The answer is "to intercept and redirect someone," from the quote at this thing's onset. To intercept & to redirect mean different things than to defeat, but I feel in this context will end in more Ws than previously experienced since Ronald Reagan hawked Camels.
NONE of us want kids smoking our cigars. Kids. Here is a chance to do away with 18+ being an adult. While this is true, it ain't at all valid. Think 'legal age.' That being 21. Welcome to steadfastly not wanting anyone under 21 to smoke our wares. It's not that bitter a pill to swallow financially -- as very little of that demographic buys premiums anyways. Here's the most dynamic action our SRO takes. So dynamic an action, it requires a new paragraph.
[With the security of the knowledge that what we posit most likely will fall on deaf ears, anyways.]
[With the security of the knowledge that what we posit most likely will fall on deaf ears, anyways.]
We publicly, loudly, clearly ENDORSE 25. Calm down, there ain't many more paying smokers 22-24 years of age. That's how you head prohibition off at the pass. You become an ally to legislators, one in lock-step uniformed strides. You give an inch to take (keep) (most of) a mile.
You do not fight societal whims turned legislative actions by being, in their eyes, the tantrum-throwing brats suffering from affluenza they envision us to be. YOU CIS WHITE MALE SWINE (sarcasm, again). You play the hand you're dealt, not the one you wish for. This is the toughest bitterest pill for many & it is the biggest reason we continually lose.
What else can our SRO tackle? How about packaging? Say a brand wants to wrap their cigars like candy. That should not be allowed. Or at least harrumphed heavily (publicly) "some degree of regulatory authority."
"But I want to." I am sure you do. "I should be able to do what I want, it's a free country." You are in a regulated sector of such. See: tantrum. Think less Alpha, chrissakes. Inches & miles, inches & miles. How about our hypothetical proposed Organization saying you shouldn't do a line of skateboards because it looks, just maybe, like you're shooting a tick young. Or is plain packaging a thing you really want to hasten along?
Advertising? Glad ya asked. Here's a link to the Kaplowitz Media. media kit: https://bit.ly/2NaPYeG I mean that's what ya meant, right? yw
You do not fight societal whims turned legislative actions by being, in their eyes, the tantrum-throwing brats suffering from affluenza they envision us to be. YOU CIS WHITE MALE SWINE (sarcasm, again). You play the hand you're dealt, not the one you wish for. This is the toughest bitterest pill for many & it is the biggest reason we continually lose.
What else can our SRO tackle? How about packaging? Say a brand wants to wrap their cigars like candy. That should not be allowed. Or at least harrumphed heavily (publicly) "some degree of regulatory authority."
"But I want to." I am sure you do. "I should be able to do what I want, it's a free country." You are in a regulated sector of such. See: tantrum. Think less Alpha, chrissakes. Inches & miles, inches & miles. How about our hypothetical proposed Organization saying you shouldn't do a line of skateboards because it looks, just maybe, like you're shooting a tick young. Or is plain packaging a thing you really want to hasten along?
Advertising? Glad ya asked. Here's a link to the Kaplowitz Media. media kit: https://bit.ly/2NaPYeG I mean that's what ya meant, right? yw
::: very :::