Maryland County Moves to Ease Cigar Restrictions

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed)
Feb 27th 2009 at 9:01AM

In Prince George's County, at least, cigars aren't as evil as they used to be. County council member Samuel H. Dean introduced a bill that would soften existing restrictions on cigar sales. The language currently in force is considered to be the strictest in the country.

If you find yourself short a cigar in Prince George's County right now, you wouldn't be able to buy one. You could buy an entire box, but not a single cigar. Dean's bill would change this ludicrous practice. Also included in the measure are clauses that define cigar products as controlled dangerous substances.

The current law took effect last November and was intended to keep kids from using "hollowed-out cigars to smoke marijuana." Because kids are smoking blunts, the rest of us can't buy an Ashton VSG (which you'd be crazy to split and refill).

While we'd all love to believe that the new bill is an effort to right a wrong, the reality is that litigation is behind the measure. Several cigar retailers, a wholesaler and an "enthusiast" have sued Prince George's county for $20 million in compensatory and punitive damages. They claim that the cigar ban is unconstitutional.

[Via The Washington Post, photo by Steve Zak]

Tags: cigar, cigars, smoke, smokers, smoking, smoking ban, SmokingBan, tobacco, tobacco use, TobaccoUse