Stogie Guys Friday Sampler XXXV

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson this week signed into law a statewide smoking ban over the “Land of Enchantment.” The Democrat, a long-shot presidential candidate in 2008, occasionally smokes cigars, but apparently doesn’t think the adult citizens of his state are smart enough to make their own decisions. The prohibition – which goes into effect on June 15 – bans smoking in restaurants, bars, most workplaces, and even near the entrances of buildings. In order to justify this draconian legislation, Richardson cited a bunch of inflated statistics from self-serving groups like the AFL-CIO and the American Cancer Society.

2) Handmade cigars are a pleasure with hundreds of years of tradition. But that doesn’t mean a little high technology can’t make them even better. That’s what BLH Industries is doing. By using identical plastic molds, as opposed to the traditional wodden molds that get worn down with time, they make it easier for cigar manufacturers to create perfectly constructed cigars every time.

3) Over at BlogCritics.org (where we are regular contributors) JJ sings the praises of cigar bars: “They are havens for cigars. Ashton Classics can go where everybody knows their name. Cigar bars are ideal places for both cigars and cigar lovers.”

4) Finally, here’s our deal of the week: Over at Thompson they’ve still got their “Ultimate Cigar Sampler” deal going – which includes 12 premium cigars (Rocky Patel, La Gloria Cubana, Gurkha, Hoyo, and too many more to name), a cigar case, and a hat for just $29.95. We don’t know how much longer this “holiday special” will run, so you may want to act quickly.

–The Stogie Guys