Mail Order Cigar Companies Will Be Out Of Business....

[CigarNut]

I have done this several times. Each time I get a reply but the reply appears to be a form letter that states why they will support the bill. The only reason I think that this is a form letter is that I have received the same letter at least four times from three different people:

Dear Michael,

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for S. 1461, the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011. While we may disagree on this issue, I appreciate the opportunity to share my perspective.

Congress passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act in 2009 to address tobacco's impact on public health. The Act grants the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products, with a special emphasis on preventing their use by children.

I believe this law is necessary because research from the Centers for Disease Control shows that tobacco usage is the largest preventable cause of disease, disability and death in the United States.

Considering this fact, I am reluctant to support a bill that would limit the FDA's ability to oversee tobacco products, including premium cigars. My hope is that increased oversight will help establish an industry standard that all tobacco producers must achieve or exceed.

While we may disagree on this issue, I appreciate you sharing your views and giving me the opportunity to respond.