blessednxs65
Is it Nicaraguan
Will you have to apply to smoke in the UK?
Los Angeles In a strong step toward repression of all smokers, a plan is being floated to create a national "smoking licence" in Britain. The concept was developed by Julian LeGrand, a professor at the London School of Economics and a one-time advisor to former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who wrote in a paper for Parliamentary Under Secretary of Health Lord Darzi the following proposal:
"Suppose every individual who wanted to buy tobacco had to purchase a permit. And supposed further that they had to do it every year. To get a permit would involve filling out a form and supplying a photograph, as well as paying the fee.
"Permits would only be issued to those over 18 and evidence of age would have to be provided. The money raised would go to the [National Health Service]."
The idea did not immediately gain any support among British politicians and Dr. Chaand Nagpaul, who represents general practitioners on the British Medical Associations public health committee, said asking doctors to approve a smokers right to buy tobacco (also recommended by LeGrand) would be "unworkable" noting that it would entail another 25 million appointments per year!
Even the anti-smoking group Action on Smoking and Healths policy manager, Martin Dockrell, came out against the idea. "There is no need to bully the minority who are happy smoking when most smokers are ready and trying time and time again to quit. We need a comprehensive strategy on smoking, Its not about the next clever idea from a think-tank." The government said the concept is one of many under study.
The head of the Costa Rica-based Tabacos de la Cordillera, John Vogel, whose work in growing tobacco from authenticated seeds that originated in Cuba led to the creation of the Fundacion Ancestral cigar series, says that more cigars from more pre-embargo Cuban seed types are on the way.
Vogel has three lines now in circulation, distributed by Arango Cigar Co. of Northbrook, Illinois: "Vuelta Abajo 1940" and "Pinar del Rio 1941" developed from seeds from the famed tobacco fields from the western part of Cuba and "Artemisa 1944" from an area just east of the Pinar del Rio province. He plans to introduce two new blends at this summers International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association show (IPCPR): "Santa Clara 1943" and "Remedios 1942." Both are well-known growing regions in Cuba in the geographic center of the island.
The process of converting the seeds originally obtained from the now-closed Cuban Land tobacco research center over Vogels career in leaf research and development with Consolidated Cigar (now Altadis U.S.A.) into leaf which could used for cigar wrapper, binder and filler took seven years. Happily, now that the plant stock has been established, cigars can be made from these leaves each and every year.
The Perdomo Habano has been a welcome addition to the Tabacalera Perdomo blend line-up with its rich flavor and even burn in five larger sizes. Now, the line is being extended with the addition of a third wrapper: Connecticut Shade.
The new Perdomo Habano Connecticut is offered in all five sizes and is quite reasonably priced, from $5.00 to $7.00 per cigar, not including local tobacco and sales taxes. Its easy to tell which blend youre buying, since all of the cigars are double-banded and color-coded. The secondary bands carry the wrapper designation (Connecticut, Corojo or Maduro) and are colored "gold" for Connecticut, "bronze" for Corojo and "platinum" for the Maduro.
Short fillers: The worlds no. 2 seller of cigars, Swedish Match AB, reported good results for 2007 that were down slightly, company-wide, from 2006. Cigar sales were flat for the year, a respectable achievement after a rough first quarter. Swedish Matchs total cigar sales, including both machine-made and premium cigars totaled $539.4 million (converted from Swedish kronor), up just slightly from the $538.8 total in 2006. Sales in the fourth quarter were up in local currencies by 15 percent over 2006, including in the U.S. Interestingly, the financial report included a note that the fourth-quarter gain was "primarily coming from businesses acquired in 2007." That would be Bogaert Cigars in Europe and retailer Cigars International in the U.S. and the presentation to analysts specifically stated that "U.S. premium sales in Q4 were flat in USD, excluding Cigars International."
Los Angeles In a strong step toward repression of all smokers, a plan is being floated to create a national "smoking licence" in Britain. The concept was developed by Julian LeGrand, a professor at the London School of Economics and a one-time advisor to former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who wrote in a paper for Parliamentary Under Secretary of Health Lord Darzi the following proposal:
"Suppose every individual who wanted to buy tobacco had to purchase a permit. And supposed further that they had to do it every year. To get a permit would involve filling out a form and supplying a photograph, as well as paying the fee.
"Permits would only be issued to those over 18 and evidence of age would have to be provided. The money raised would go to the [National Health Service]."
The idea did not immediately gain any support among British politicians and Dr. Chaand Nagpaul, who represents general practitioners on the British Medical Associations public health committee, said asking doctors to approve a smokers right to buy tobacco (also recommended by LeGrand) would be "unworkable" noting that it would entail another 25 million appointments per year!
Even the anti-smoking group Action on Smoking and Healths policy manager, Martin Dockrell, came out against the idea. "There is no need to bully the minority who are happy smoking when most smokers are ready and trying time and time again to quit. We need a comprehensive strategy on smoking, Its not about the next clever idea from a think-tank." The government said the concept is one of many under study.
The head of the Costa Rica-based Tabacos de la Cordillera, John Vogel, whose work in growing tobacco from authenticated seeds that originated in Cuba led to the creation of the Fundacion Ancestral cigar series, says that more cigars from more pre-embargo Cuban seed types are on the way.
Vogel has three lines now in circulation, distributed by Arango Cigar Co. of Northbrook, Illinois: "Vuelta Abajo 1940" and "Pinar del Rio 1941" developed from seeds from the famed tobacco fields from the western part of Cuba and "Artemisa 1944" from an area just east of the Pinar del Rio province. He plans to introduce two new blends at this summers International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association show (IPCPR): "Santa Clara 1943" and "Remedios 1942." Both are well-known growing regions in Cuba in the geographic center of the island.
The process of converting the seeds originally obtained from the now-closed Cuban Land tobacco research center over Vogels career in leaf research and development with Consolidated Cigar (now Altadis U.S.A.) into leaf which could used for cigar wrapper, binder and filler took seven years. Happily, now that the plant stock has been established, cigars can be made from these leaves each and every year.
The Perdomo Habano has been a welcome addition to the Tabacalera Perdomo blend line-up with its rich flavor and even burn in five larger sizes. Now, the line is being extended with the addition of a third wrapper: Connecticut Shade.
The new Perdomo Habano Connecticut is offered in all five sizes and is quite reasonably priced, from $5.00 to $7.00 per cigar, not including local tobacco and sales taxes. Its easy to tell which blend youre buying, since all of the cigars are double-banded and color-coded. The secondary bands carry the wrapper designation (Connecticut, Corojo or Maduro) and are colored "gold" for Connecticut, "bronze" for Corojo and "platinum" for the Maduro.
Short fillers: The worlds no. 2 seller of cigars, Swedish Match AB, reported good results for 2007 that were down slightly, company-wide, from 2006. Cigar sales were flat for the year, a respectable achievement after a rough first quarter. Swedish Matchs total cigar sales, including both machine-made and premium cigars totaled $539.4 million (converted from Swedish kronor), up just slightly from the $538.8 total in 2006. Sales in the fourth quarter were up in local currencies by 15 percent over 2006, including in the U.S. Interestingly, the financial report included a note that the fourth-quarter gain was "primarily coming from businesses acquired in 2007." That would be Bogaert Cigars in Europe and retailer Cigars International in the U.S. and the presentation to analysts specifically stated that "U.S. premium sales in Q4 were flat in USD, excluding Cigars International."