FDA's Kid Concerns Fire Up New Fears For Cigar Shops

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by Kirk Hawkins
Bio | Email | Follow: @kirkhawkins

Story Created: Sep 30, 2012 at 8:45 PM EDT

Story Updated: Oct 2, 2012 at 3:06 PM EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--The Food & Drug Administration is looking to regulate smokeless tobacco products available on store shelves across the Charlotte area because they say they are marketed to kids.

"By decreasing the size of the cigars and adding flavors to it,  the tobacco companies hope to get more people addicted to their products," said Selay Demir. A senior at Myers Park High School. Demir has been working toward a tobacco free North Carolina with Youth Empowered Solutions since the parents of two close friends passed away. "They never used any type of tobacco product in their life and their death was the result of people who had been smoking," Demir said.

Those types of products are sold at convenience stores. But, cigar shops say the feds are targeting them. Craig Cass owns the Tinder Box in South Charlotte. Cass said the F.D.A. is looking into a regulatory model that would force him to shut down his walk in humidor and sell premium cigars
behind the counter. "This product involves all five senses. You wanna touch it. You wanna feel it. You wanna look at the coloration of the wrapper, you wanna smell it and if the products had to be sold away from the counter it would be devastating to our industry," said Cass.

While some hope the F.D.A.'s proposal would snuff out youth addiction, others say their businesses would go up in smoke.


Two bills are now working their way through the U.S. House.
A vote could be possible later this fall.

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