AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CIGAR INDUSTRY: THE LIE ABOUT INTERNET CIGAR SELLERS

By Arthur Zaretsky
Founder/CEO Famous Smoke Shop Inc.

January 24, 2020

It is said that “silence is acceptance.” And I have been silent for quite a while.

But given the current state of affairs in our industry, and now that everyone has taken their respective sides about the PCA/IPCPR’s ability (or inability, as I see it) to represent the needs of all retailers – it’s time I speak out, and fight for what’s fair.

As a brick and mortar retailer, as well as a Catalog/Internet company, this much is clear: our role in this industry has been misrepresented – that we’re “the enemy” of local retailers and must be driven out of business. And that must end.

This letter is meant for retailers, manufacturers and consumers. We are a fractured industry: B&M retailers vs Internet, Machine-made vs Premium. If we continue down this road it will be a defeat for all of us. And now that the factions representing the retail end of this business have been trying to cut Internet retailers out, the entire system will start to break down. That means the FDA wins the battle against us, without even having to fire a shot. . .
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