Fact Sheet: Obama and McCain on Cigar Issues

In a week and one day, millions of Americans will head to the polls to vote for the next leader of the free world. Both major candidates are former cigarette smokers: Republican John McCain smoked two packs a day until he quit three decades ago, while Democrat Barack Obama admitted having a cigarette as recently as this summer despite “quitting” early last year.

But being a former smoker (or even a current one) doesn’t make a politician good when it comes to taking positions that affect cigar smokers. Below are four areas where the next president could have a major impact on stogie enthusiasts with a look at the positions held by McCain and Obama in each area.

Tobacco Taxes

Industry insiders say a massive tobacco tax, such as the one proposed in the so-called SCHIP bill, is the most immediate threat to the cigar industry. This year only President Bush’s veto stopped what would have been a 256% increase in cigar taxes, meaning an increase of up to $3 per cigar. Obama clearly favors funding programs with tobacco taxes. He voted for the SCHIP cigar tax increase and has pledged to sign the bill into law. His campaign calls the senator “an ardent supporter of SCHIP.”

McCain’s position on tobacco taxes has been far less clear. He voted against versions of the SCHIP bill with the tobacco tax increase and has criticized the tax, taking the position that “it makes no sense to encourage people to live healthier…while making the government even more dependent on having people smoke.” However, McCain has a long history of advocating for tobacco taxes, specifically on cigarettes. Only a year ago he was quoted as saying, “I still regret we did not succeed” when asked about past efforts to increase cigarette taxes by $1.10 per pack.

Smoking Bans

Smoking bans have traditionally been a matter for state and local governments. Still, a national smoking ban (for so-called “public places” like restarants and bars) remains a possibility.  McCain’s views on this issue are not entirely clear, but he did not join fellow Republican Mike Huckabee in promising to sign a natinoal smoking ban.

Meanwhile, Obama seemed to indicate support for a national smoking ban but seemed to prefer keeping bans a state issue. In a New Hampshire debate, Obama told the audience, “If we can’t provide these kinds of protections at the local level, which would be my preference, I would be supportive of a national law.”

Regulation

As we’ve written before, Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco has the potential to be very damaging for cigar smokers. John McCain has been a advocate for regulating tobacco under the FDA since the mid-1990s when he co-sponsored a bill to that effect.  Indeed, the issue has been called “one of the most significant efforts of his congressional career.” In the past year, however, critics of McCain claim he has backed away from that position, despite the fact that he remains a co-sponsor of the FDA bill. The Arizona senator has continued to criticize the portrayal of smoking by Hollywood, perhaps indicating that he still would favor FDA regulation if it didn’t include increased tobacco taxes.

Obama is also a co-sponsor of the bill to regulate tobacco through the FDA. Anti-tobacco advocates say FDA regulation of tobacco is “inevitable” under a McCain or Obama presidency.

Trade

Trade policies might not initially appear to be an area of interest. But since virtually every handmade cigar is either rolled in other countries or rolled in the U.S. with tobacco from foreign countries, reducing barriers to trade is vital to preserve and increase cigar smokers’ access to a wide variety of cigars at reasonable prices. There are two major policies where trade most effects cigar consumers: (1) the Cuban embargo/trade sanctions currently makes some of the world’s highest-regarded cigars illegal for Americans; and (2) the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement eliminates or lowers trade barriers with cigar-producing countries such as the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

McCain has “typically voted in support of sanctions on Cuba” and demanded free elections before the embargo is lifted. Obama seems more open to changing the U.S. policy toward Cuba, “calling for travel and remittance restrictions on Cuban-Americans to be lifted” and expressing that “he would engage in bilateral talks with Cuba to send the message that the United States is willing to normalize relations with Cuba upon evidence of a democratic opening.”

Obama opposes CAFTA and voted against it. On his website, you’ll find an article titled “Why I Oppose CAFTA,” citing labor concerns and the loss of American jobs. McCain voted for CAFTA and consistently supported similar trade agreements.

-Patrick S

photo credit: AGORAVOX