The Parvenu's Indulgence

Arguing that premium cigars are more of a recreational product with fewer health risks than cigarettes, the industry has been separately pushing members of Congress to enact legislation that would broadly exempt “premium cigars” from the new F.D.A. oversight. (NY Times, December 2016)

S.441 — 114th Congress (2015-2016) Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2015 Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt traditional large and premium cigars from regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and from user fees assessed on tobacco products by the FDA.

Tobacco usage is an unhealthy addiction of the working class; however, when enjoyed in an expensive, hand-rolled cigar, tobacco consumption becomes an affectation of the leisure class. The difference between the laborer's $3.00 Garcia y Vega and the stock broker's $30 Cohiba Esplendido is merely one of perception.