WASHINGTON, DC (November 19, 2024) – Today, the Office of the Surgeon General released a comprehensive report highlighting the persistent disparities in tobacco use and its health impacts across different population groups. While the report acknowledges significant national progress in reducing smoking rates and secondhand smoke exposure, it emphasizes that these gains have not been equally distributed, with disparities persisting along the lines of race, income, education, geography, and other factors.

Today’s report expands on findings from the 1998 Surgeon General’s report, analyzing additional demographic factors and their intersections. The report outlines a series of actions to reduce these disparities, including restricting the sale of flavored tobacco products, reducing nicotine levels in combusted tobacco products, and advancing smoke-free air policies.

CRA Commentary

CRA welcomes discussions on improving health equity. Still, regulatory bodies must understand and acknowledge the distinctions between premium cigars, cigarettes, and other combustible tobacco products to properly craft effective public health policies. Premium hand rolled cigars have different agricultural practices, curing times, manufacturing processes, patterns of use, demographics, and thus different mortality and morbidity patterns. Additionally, premium cigars have consistently been shown to have minimal appeal to youth. Broad regulations addressing disparities should carefully consider this distinction to avoid unintended consequences for the premium cigar industry writ large.

“The Surgeon General’s report raises important issues, but it is critical to differentiate between premium cigars and other tobacco products when addressing health equity,” said Mike Copperman, Executive Director of CRA. “Premium cigars are handcrafted products enjoyed responsibly by a diverse group of adults that represent a unique cultural and economic role that should not be overlooked.”

Additionally, CRA remains concerned about policies directly called for in this report, such as flavor bans and nicotine limits, that could disproportionately harm premium cigar retailers and adult consumers without achieving meaningful public health benefits. On flavors, while no premium cigar contains characterizing flavors, poorly written policies could prevent the marketing and description of their aroma and flavor notes. On nicotine limits, any efforts to limit nicotine in premium cigars would fundamentally alter the artisan nature of the product and eliminate it from the marketplace. As science continues to evolve with respect to tobacco products, our understanding of these products should guide nuanced approaches that address the unique characteristics of premium cigars. It is critical that researchers and policy-makers alike recognize that premium cigars and cigarettes, despite their shared association with tobacco, are fundamentally different entities that warrant distinct research and regulatory efforts that are evidence-based approaches that address disparities while preserving the rights of adult consumers and the integrity of the premium cigar industry.

Moving Forward

CRA will continue to advocate for regulatory clarity and fairness as discussions on tobacco-related disparities evolve and new regulatory policies are considered. We urge policymakers to engage with stakeholders across the industry to craft policies that exempt premium cigars from onerous regulation that is warranted due to the distinct health concerns and lack of youth usage and access.