Controversy Over Flavored Wrapper Ban

Two rival tobacco companies are battling over a law proposed in the state of Illinois that would make flavored cigar wrappers illegal. The president of National Tobacco Company in Louisville, KY, claims a competitor wants to put him out of business.

Ron Tully gave this statement to the press: “Our issue with the bill is really that [it has] been driven by one of our major competitors in the Illinois market, a company called Republic Tobacco, and they’ve been fairly aggressive in coming after us in a number of different ways either through the courts or through the commercial arena and most recently through the state legislature.”

Tully claims the ban would cost the state of Illinois $7.5 million per year in lost tax revenue. “These cigar wrappers are subject to the excise tax in the state. We’re cutting services to the bone but we can afford to give up $7.5 million this year and maybe $58 million over the next ten years in this category. It seems crazy.”

What’s the problem with the flavored wrappers? It seems that the wrappers are used by pot smokers to make what is called a “blunt.” The empty wrapper is stuffed with marijuana and smoked. Tully pointed out that the tokers could also take any cigar, dump out the tobacco and stuff it with the sweet weed.

Don Levin, chairman of rival Republic Tobacco chairman pled innocence concerning the bill. “We’ve had conflict with [National Tobacco] over many years and frankly we’ve tried to settle it many times. I don’t know why [Tully] said that. I don’t think there’s anything to back it up.”

The matter will likely be decided by an FDA opinion on flavored tobacco wrappers expected later this summer.