Schwarzenegger in trouble for Cuban?

[Warren]

Originally Posted by scoot

Why would you want the ban lifted? Cubans are easily accessable to Americans even with the ban. If it gets lifted, there will be a huge flood of Americans grabbing up Cuban cigars simply so they can say they're smoking Cubans. This will result in the loss of pretty much all quality control in Cuban factories and a skyrocketing of prices.

Cubans can be had now for relitively reasonable prices without much of a problem. I don't see a reason to change things.

I disagree.

I think once the ban is lifted of course people who have obeyed the law will want to give the "forbidden fruit" a try. But it will cause the non-Cubans to step up their game too in order not to lose market share. Also price being a factor people who smoke regularly aren't going to suddenly start only buying Cubans.

It would be nice to walk into a humidor at my local B&M and have the option to try both Cuban and non-Cuban cigars on the spot without having to worry about confiscation or fakes.

[DennisP]

Originally Posted by Warren

I disagree.

I think once the ban is lifted of course people who have obeyed the law will want to give the "forbidden fruit" a try. But it will cause the non-Cubans to step up their game too in order not to lose market share. Also price being a factor people who smoke regularly aren't going to suddenly start only buying Cubans.

It would be nice to walk into a humidor at my local B&M and have the option to try both Cuban and non-Cuban cigars on the spot without having to worry about confiscation or fakes.

Prices will sky rocket and production will go to crap. We'll have a lot of bad cigars coming from Cuba.

It will be even worse if communism is overthrown as the big companies will go in and buy up everything they can.

I actually was discussing this with the guy who works at the local B&M last week and as he says, as a cigar smoker it's best to hope Castro lives forever.

[smokeyscotch]

Originally Posted by Warren

I disagree.

I think once the ban is lifted of course people who have obeyed the law will want to give the "forbidden fruit" a try. But it will cause the non-Cubans to step up their game too in order not to lose market share. Also price being a factor people who smoke regularly aren't going to suddenly start only buying Cubans.

It would be nice to walk into a humidor at my local B&M and have the option to try both Cuban and non-Cuban cigars on the spot without having to worry about confiscation or fakes.

It is simple economics. As demand moves upward and supply stays steady or moves downward, prices will go up. Way up.

[mdtaggart]

I don't think Arnie will be in any trouble, any more than if you or I smoked a Cuban in Canada. Come on, who is going to enforce that? Is there some kind of secret police following me on my vacation?
If we cigar smokers can't make up our minds about what to do with the embargo, how do we expect the screwed up government to figure it out.
The embargo should be ended because it is wrong and really serves no purpose I can see. My suggestion, If you want the embargo ended, write your congressmen and vote. If you want the embargo to continue, do the same. There is power in the voice of the masses. End of rant.

[ca21455]

It took the media this long to figure out that Arnold smokes Cuban cigars! Makes you wonder what else they missed.

[IrishCorona]

Bad laws are meant to be broken, we all know the Cuban emargo in this current world is as insane as the WOD(War On drugs).

How many Polititcans & LEO's in NYC in the early 90's had Habanos in their humidors when Federal agents stormed and arrested some of the most respected BOTL's of Manhattan??


I genuinely believe that some or many BOTL's don't understand that it's illegal even in another country where they can be *Legally* purchased. Arrnie is a Politican and shoudn't be fuking buying Habanos in Canada. He knows the law...He can order em off the interent.......lmfao!

[Warren]

Originally Posted by DennisP

I actually was discussing this with the guy who works at the local B&M last week and as he says, as a cigar smoker it's best to hope Castro lives forever.

Cigars aside that is a very selfish attitude to take.

Screw the Cuban people and their personal freedoms let's keep rolling in good cigars.

I think it's a lot of hand wringing. Economics will do what it always does. Cuban cigars may get over produced for a while but consumers aren't morons. Especially cigar consumers. If the Cuban product is inferior and the stigma of the "forbidden fruit" is gone people will turn to non-Cubans and then Cuba will be forced to step it up. I'm a huge free market guy and I see this as very black and white. Initially you may be right but after a year or two quality will win.

Just look at the cigar boom days last decade. Tons of product, mostly junk, people got tired and quality won. You could argue more good cigars are being made right now than ever before.

[12stones]

Anyone else here think that this story only made it to the front because of the story of Michael Moore's visit to Cuba?

[Teninx]

Mass-market journalism is something that I look at with great skepticism. I assess the veracity of an item by asking "Is this something that I could verify myself, or have others stepped forward to verify it?" If the answer is 'no', I don't necessarily accept the story as true. I hate blind items and I never believe unattributed quotes.

That aside, it's no big news to me that politicians, actors and other self-important people ignore the law consistently. And some of us with less fame do, too. Arnold won't be prosecuted for violations of the Trading With The Enemy Act because in this instance there is no proof. Maybe we can catch him for not buckling his seatbelt.

[[OT] Loki]

Originally Posted by 12stones

Anyone else here think that this story only made it to the front because of the story of Michael Moore's visit to Cuba?

I would hope that a leader violating federal laws would make the front page no matter what

[DennisP]

Originally Posted by Warren

Cigars aside that is a very selfish attitude to take.

Screw the Cuban people and their personal freedoms let's keep rolling in good cigars.

I think it's a lot of hand wringing. Economics will do what it always does. Cuban cigars may get over produced for a while but consumers aren't morons. Especially cigar consumers. If the Cuban product is inferior and the stigma of the "forbidden fruit" is gone people will turn to non-Cubans and then Cuba will be forced to step it up. I'm a huge free market guy and I see this as very black and white. Initially you may be right but after a year or two quality will win.

Just look at the cigar boom days last decade. Tons of product, mostly junk, people got tired and quality won. You could argue more good cigars are being made right now than ever before.

I didn't do a good job explaining my personal views. I think the lives of the Cubans are more important than what will be good for me as a cigar smoker and for that reason hope the embargo ends along with Castro leaving office.

[walleye]

Originally Posted by limdull

soo its illegal to buy them anywhere, thats stupid lets just say that i pay someone in canada for helping me on here, and they were to send me some cc in return is that illegal?

Under the new Executive Order issued during the W. Bush Administration the embargo has been further defined and restricted access to Cuban products. No American citizen may purchase, comsume or import any goods (including cigars & rum) from Cuba. No matter where an American citizen travels, even if that country has open trade with Cuba, American citizens cannot purchase or comsume goods from Cuba. The new order has limited previously approved trips to Cuba, outlined in the Kennedy Executive Order. There are several good reference in this site on the new guidelines issued by the United States Customs Service, Homeland Security and the U.S. State Department which outline the fines and prison terms for importation. There are also several trends speaking about the dreaded "Customs Letters" sent to U.S. Citizen who have been caught purchasing cuban cigars from other countries.

Most of the embargo issues are driven by the strong Cuban-American voting block in Florida. Many Cuban-Americans have great political influence in forcing politicians to keep the embargo alive despite the change in the political situation in the world. (fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba's partner). The lastest presidental election shows the power of the Florida vote.

Smoke if you wish, but be careful with overseas purchases and "smuggling" into the U.S. from overseas trips. Most will be confiscated and burned, but the fines are pretty siginficant, including prison. The sad part is a federal conviction is for assisting an enemy of the U.S., like treason. Not a great thing to have on a person's record.

[adsantos13]

Originally Posted by smokeyscotch

It is simple economics. As demand moves upward and supply stays steady or moves downward, prices will go up. Way up.

Yes, this is true for supply and demand in the short run. In the long run the market will move back towards some sort of equilibrium and prices will drop.

In other words, make sure you have enough stock to last a year or two

[RaiderinKS]

Originally Posted by guy g

Somethings not quite right. when I 've gone to Baja, I was subject to Mexican laws. It doesnt ring that if you buy a cigar legally in Canada and consume it legally under their laws that the US could have anything to say. Plus, has it been confirmed it was a Cuban?

If you do something treasonous against the US while in a country with no laws against treason, did you break the law? Yes, you did. US laws apply to you wherever you go, except where superseded by local law.

[guy g]

That's an interesting way to look at it. I dont know..this is a lot of hoopla in the media over what Arnie may or may not have smoked. Gotta go to work,will listen to Rush tomorrow to see what his take is. Be back manana, pm.guy