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Baltimore Council to Debate Cigar Sale Bills

Andrew Nagy
Posted: October 1, 2009

The Baltimore City Council is preparing to look at two bills that seek to further legislate cigar sales. Premium handmade cigar sales, however, appear protected.

Directed at reducing the youth smoking rate, one measure would ban the sale of flavored cigars and wrappers if passed while the other would forbid the sale of single little cigars. Convenience stores would only be allowed to sell little cigars in units of five or more.

The proposal to ban the sale of little cigars includes a subsection that exempts tobacco shops. Under this section, a tobacco shop is defined as an establishment that "derives at least 75 percent of its revenues, measured by average daily receipts, from the sale of non-cigarette tobacco products."

In addition, the proposal states that it will not affect cigars that have a retail price of more than $2.50.

The Interim Health Department had already passed regulations on single cigar sales that were to take place today. The city, though, has agreed to put off enforcement until a judge rules on a single cigar sale ban proposed in Prince George's County, Maryland.