Little Cigars

Are little things deadly? Hmmmm, think again. The legendary Biblical figure diminutive David defeated the giant Goliath in a battle. Is it enough to say that little is terrible? If smoking cigar or cigarette is dangerous to someone’s health, is little cigar included? Do little cigars have the same harmful effects to smokers, no mater how little?

Little cigars is the new way of marketing cigars, aside from its infused different flavors, little cigars is more affordable, in fact more affordable than cigarettes because it has lower excise tax.

But what do little cigars and cigarettes have in common, how are little cigars any different from the regular cigars. What is in those little cigars that not-profit groups and attorneys general in some 40 states of the U.S. are lobbying for the banning of the production of little cigars?

The standpoint of the attorneys generals as supported by the non-governmental organizations like the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Americans for Non-Smoker Rights, and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is the these little cigars by their composition are really cigarettes in the guise of cigars so that tobacco manufacturers can get away from the marketing limitations and from the higher excise tax imposed on cigarettes.

The little cigar sold in the market looks much like a cigarette only they are wrapped in brown paper. The attorneys general of the 40 states are pushing a request to the treasury Department of the U.S. to stop the tobacco manufacturers from merchandising of little cigar that actually has the same characteristics of a cigarette.

Another issue raised by the lobbyists is that the little children are the eventual preys of the marketing of little cigar since a stick cost lesser than a cigarette would. Besides little cigar can be bought on a single stick basis unlike cigarettes which can only be purchased on a per pack basis, which makes little cigar all the more affordable especially by the youngsters. These cause-oriented groups are clamoring for a clear demarcation line as the difference of little cigar from cigarettes.

The position of the tobacco manufacturers is that the little cigar is actually a cigar only they looked much like a cigarette which these manufacturers requested the lobbyists not to be confused with. The marketing of the little cigar is not in any way to substitute cigarette smoking. It was the intention of the tobacco manufacturers to give the satisfaction to their avid cigar smokers. Nothing more, nothing less.

The thug of war between these two opposing groups my not be over yet, while the two camps are finding ways to win their cause, the sale of little cigar is increasing at a remarkable rate. Now who do you think is gaining from the battle?