That is, if the city officials are to be followed. In a bid to put a halt to the increase of youth smokers in the city, the officials have laid out a proposal to ban the selling of individual small cigars within the city. Normally, what stores do is to open up a pack of the small cigars and sell them by the stick. This is done so that individuals can purchase the small cigars individually, instead of having to buy a whole pack. The rationale is that it is more convenient and more affordable to buy the small cigars piece by piece instead of in bulk. Of course, if you are a teenager without much money, it would be to your advantage to buy per piece.
Based on a report by the New York Times:
Health officials are alarmed by the growing popularity, especially among black urban teenagers and young adults, of cigarillos, “little cigars†that are often sweetly flavored and filtered. One recent survey of 18- to 24-year-olds in Baltimore found that their favorite brand was Black and Mild, made by John Middleton Inc., and that 24 percent had smoked them within the previous 30 days. Middleton was acquired last year by Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris.
Naturally, this move is opposed by cigar aficionados. For one, though the idea might work on paper, who is to say that teenagers won’t simply pool their money together and purchase a whole pack and split it amongst themselves? If the purpose is to really curb teenage smoking, then stricter rules regarding selling cigars to minors should be the focus, not the ban of selling individual cigars.
What is your take?