Austin, TX (June 16, 2008) - The Association for Women Cigar Smokers celebrates its launch today. Non-profit status is pending. The Association provides resources for women cigar smokers and a professional organization for women cigar shop owners. The stated goals of the organization include collecting data about women cigar smokers and campaigning against anti-cigar legislation.

The Association for Women Cigar Smokers was founded by Heather Haddad, who also operates www.fumeeworld.com, a cigar media and e-commerce site. Haddad hopes to add board members from the cigar community to the organization in the coming year.

"When I was in the process of starting my cigar company, I looked for data on women cigar smokers and I couldn’t find any. No one seemed to think it was an important enough demographic to bother learning about. Ever since then, it was my intention to start a non-profit for women cigar smokers and cigar shop owners to act as a megaphone for their voices in the cigar industry."

To help determine the size and scope of women cigar smokers, a pair of surveys have been developed in conjunction with Colin Ganley of www.cigarresearch.com and are currently available via the website. Haddad also hopes to use the organization to mobilize members against anti-cigar legislation. "In this day and age, cigar shop owners, regardless of gender, cannot afford complacency." says Haddad. Information about membership and services can be found at www.womencigarsmokers.com.