Tobacconists like me didn’t like it when the state increased taxes from 25 percent to 50 percent on the wholesale prices of premium cigars, but we did appreciate the 50-cent tax cap placed on each "stick."
Now, however, they’re talking about banning those same premium cigars from being smoked in public places like cigar stores, taverns, bowling alleys, private clubs and elsewhere. That just doesn’t make sense. As a member of C-SAW (the Cigar Store Alliance of Wisconsin) and the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, I plan to be quite vocal about this effort.
What is at stake are the personal choices of all Wisconsin citizens – smokers and non-smokers alike- as well as tourists and others who visit or do business here.
It’s all about choice and economics. We must all join together to stop the state from further regulating legal activities over the rights of business owners and employers. We don’t need government telling us how to run our businesses.
Employers and owners of businesses like bars, restaurants and cigar stores should continue to have the right to choose whether or not their places of business would permit smoking. By the same token, consumers and employees should also continue to have the right to choose whether to patronize or work in such places.
Think about it. You own a business. You own your building or lease your space. It’s your business and you should be able to decide whether to allow smoking there or not. Your customers can decide whether or not to patronize your establishment depending on your policy. Simple, no? Well, leave it to government, and sooner or later they’ll be telling you what to do. Little by little, we are losing our rights to governmental bodies who have nothing better to do than tell us how to run our businesses. It’s time to hold our ground in this battle for independence.
If smoking in the workplace were an environmental issue dealing with the public welfare, OSHA would be all over it. They’re not. Why? Because individual business owners are deciding for themselves whether or not to allow smoking in their places of business as a matter of choice and economics. It has nothing to do with public welfare.
If smoking is banned in or around government buildings, that’s their business. I have no argument there. But private businesses like bars, taverns, restaurants and cigar stores should have the right to decide whether or not smoking would be allowed instead of having the government decide for them.
Premium cigars are a choice, not a habit. They and certain pipe tobaccos are more like fine wines and champagnes than anything else.
They help make ordinary occasions special and special occasions extraordinary. And smoking in cigar stores is necessary for patrons to sample products and make informed purchase decisions.
Besides, cigar stores are destinations for smokers – especially those who enjoy premium cigars. There’s no chance that a non-smoker would accidentally walk into one.
Jack Cummens is the owner of Jack’s Tobacco & MCS in Brookfield.
