Which are the most cigar-friendly states?

[ApexAZ]

There is a complete resource somewhere concerning state taxes.

I'm not sure what Smokin5 meant with this though: "Gotta agree AZ is OK, but unless you're somewhere with a
"grandfathered" smoking lounge, you're out of luck smoking
anywhere inside."

It was my understanding that if you are a smoke shop, you can smoke inside. Perhaps something has changed, but every B&M I've been to has allowed smoking inside. It's true that other businesses (like a bar or restaurant) can not legally allow smoking, but I'm not sure if such a state exists, and even if it does, it's likely that won't last forever.

Phoenix has a couple nice cigar bars. I am fortunate enough to live a few miles from one of the better ones. This place really is a life-saver during the summer months. It's nice to be able to go into a climate controlled bar and have a cigar and whisky They are the only bars you can smoke in and they get away with it because their tobacco sales exceed liquor sales, so they are primarily a tobacconist. During the winter I spend a lot more time on my patio enjoying the nicer weather.

I think Texas and AZ are going to be very similar in terms of being cigar friendly. Both are very gun friendly too, which of course NYC is not. We have some pretty good 'cue also, but nothing can stand up to the legendary Texas barbecue!

Edit: To add, the California recommendations make some valid points in that they seem to have a great community with lots of organized herfs.

[mahtofire14]

MN sure isn't. While there are a few nice b&m's around which you can smoke inside, the price of tobacco is about twice as much as average prices.

[mosesbotbol]

Colorado??

Denver airport has a "bring your own" cigar lounge/bar right in the middle

[the nub]

I'd say sober is a pretty friendly state. Slightly intoxicated is usually pretty friendly also. Fallin ass drunk would be a very sorry state, though.

[ColdCuts]

Originally Posted by the nub

I'd say sober is a pretty friendly state. Slightly intoxicated is usually pretty friendly also. Fallin ass drunk would be a very sorry state, though.

You know, it's occurred to me that a better title for this thread might've been, "U.S. residents, is your state cigar-friendly or not?

All US-based members could then chime in about the degree of cigar-friendlyness where they are. It's a tougher thing to ask folks about places they don't know. That's my shortsightedness.

[shark]

Not Michigan, either. High tobacco taxes and no smoking allowed indoors at any establishments at all except for casinos, tobacco shops, or cigar bars. Cigar bars are a funny thing here, in that they have to make at least 10% of their revenue from tobacco sales in order to allow smoking indoors. Oh yeah, and any bar with outside seating, still no smoking. Gee, I feel so lucky that the gov't. in Lansing still allows me to smoke at home!

[Gabe215]

I'd say Florida, PA has a low tax as well, tons of B&M's but cigars are part of Floridas culture so it's very smoke friendly!

[JohnRogers]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

Oklahoma is cigar friendly.

I have to agree. I've been benchmarking cigar lounges in many states getting ready to open one in Oklahoma. Law and Tax wise Oklahoma is pretty damn good, we just need more lounges...heh-heh let me get back to work on that.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by JohnRogers

I have to agree. I've been benchmarking cigar lounges in many states getting ready to open one in Oklahoma. Law and Tax wise Oklahoma is pretty damn good, we just need more lounges...heh-heh let me get back to work on that.

Make the cigar lounge look like Juniors in OKC. Mad Men and bordello cross, but add some modern touches.

[mahtofire14]

Originally Posted by shark

Not Michigan, either. High tobacco taxes and no smoking allowed indoors at any establishments at all except for casinos, tobacco shops, or cigar bars. Cigar bars are a funny thing here, in that they have to make at least 10% of their revenue from tobacco sales in order to allow smoking indoors. Oh yeah, and any bar with outside seating, still no smoking. Gee, I feel so lucky that the gov't. in Lansing still allows me to smoke at home!

I'm waiting for the day they tell us we can't smoke in our backyards!

[smokin5]

[quote=ApexAZ;1990408]
I'm not sure what Smokin5 meant with this though: "Gotta agree AZ is OK, but unless you're somewhere with a
"grandfathered" smoking lounge, you're out of luck smoking
anywhere inside."

It was my understanding that if you are a smoke shop, you can smoke inside. Perhaps something has changed, but every B&M I've been to has allowed smoking inside. It's true that other businesses (like a bar or restaurant) can not legally allow smoking, but I'm not sure if such a state exists, and even if it does, it's likely that won't last forever.

8 * * * * *

What I meant was that you cannot open a NEW cigar lounge in AZ,
at least that's my understanding. The ones that existed when the
smoking ban kicked in a few years back (i.e., "grandfathered" in legal
jargon) are allowed to continue, but no new ones will be approved
by the powers that be. In the case of my town, no cigar lounges
exist, so we can be assured we'll never see one here. Then again,
with my deck & den operating as a regular 'nonprofit' cigar lounge,
I don't really care whether we get a real lounge. My friends come
to my place for a smoke & a joke.

[RandJCigars]

As far as Taxes are concerned...Florida and Pennsylvania both have $0.00 tax on Premium Cigars...Texas is a close second/third with $0.011 tax per cigar; in other words, for a box of cigars, the tax in Texas is like $0.30...

FL hands down. Big cigar industry in Tampa and Miami and lowest cigar taxes in US. Plenty of cigar lounges and B&M's and lots of local pubs that are cigar friendly.

[ColdCuts]

I found this handy 2014 tax chart...

http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/otp.pdf

Now, if only I could find a similar chart that breaks down all the bans and anti-smoking laws.

[ApexAZ]

Originally Posted by smokin5

What I meant was that you cannot open a NEW cigar lounge in AZ,
at least that's my understanding. The ones that existed when the
smoking ban kicked in a few years back (i.e., "grandfathered" in legal
jargon) are allowed to continue, but no new ones will be approved
by the powers that be. In the case of my town, no cigar lounges
exist, so we can be assured we'll never see one here. Then again,
with my deck & den operating as a regular 'nonprofit' cigar lounge,
I don't really care whether we get a real lounge. My friends come
to my place for a smoke & a joke.

I gotcha. Where abouts are you located in AZ? I know my cigar lounge opened another store about 2 years ago and planning a new one in Scottsdale. Perhaps this is a city/county law, or perhaps since they are already established as a tobacco dealer, they can branch out?

I'll ask them next time I'm in.

[smokin5]

Oops, I was wrong about the 'grandfathered' tobacco store in AZ.
At least under the applicable state law, smoking is permitted in a retail
tobacco store which "derives a majority of its sales from tobacco
products and accessories". no language about only existing shops.
My bad. Carry on.....

[STEVE S]

I live in Florida, and we can smoke our cigars out doors almost any where. We have many B&M, and all most no taxes on cigars.

[shilala]

I lived in PA my first 40 some-odd years. They pretty much expected you to smoke a cigar. Everybody loved a cigar, and if you wandered in with a pipe, people were happy for it. I don't think there's anyone in the world who doesn't like the smell of a good pipe tobacco.
There are tons of cigar stores in PA, and anywhere smoking is allowed, cigars are welcome. The anti-smoking laws are very lenient compared to other states. There are loads of places folks can smoke indoors.

I'm in Ohio now, and I can't say that the folks here are any less tolerant. The taxes are decent, and there are lots of B&M's. Fewer places where someone can smoke inside, but I'm close to Cleveland. Just a little bit down the road there are plenty of bars where you can smoke, and just about every bar has a smoking tent, porch, or whatever.

I'd say both states are pretty pro-get your smoke on.