Cuban Cigars Have Been Illegal within the U.S. Since 1962 — We Explore Why

Cuban cigars have been illegal within the U.S. for as long as many of us can take note. However, there are tactics across the ban for most people.

Feb. 13 2024, Published 1:49 p.m. ET

A lot of bizarre things are illegal in America. For instance, playing pinball below the age of 18 is illegal in South Carolina, and sending an unsolicited pizza is illegal in Louisiana. But one of the crucial perplexing regulations is a national ban on Cuban cigars. Ever since most folks can be mindful, Cuban cigars have all the time been contraband, which has most effective heightened their intrigue.

One of the top reasons to consult with Cuba now is to try a coveted Cuban cigar, which is unimaginable to get in the U.S. Cuban cigars are bought around the world, including in nations such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and more. But over 60 years after the Cold War began, Cuban cigars are nonetheless illegal within the U.S. Why is that?

Cuban cigars are illegal as a result of a longstanding trade embargo with Cuba.

In 1962, on the height of the Cold War, President John F. Kennedy imposed an financial, industrial, and monetary blockade on Cuba. This was to show that the U.S. did not cooperate with communists as the U.S. was once still grappling with the Red Scare after the end of World War II. Fidel Castro had simply taken energy in Cuba after a communist revolution, and JFK needed to display America’s determination to capitalism and democracy.

Cigars would possibly seem like a very particular import to prohibit, however they’ve grown in popularity partially on account of their standing as a coveted delicacy that’s exhausting to procure. The ban on cigars did affect Cuba at the time and still affects the tobacco industry nowadays. Because of Castro’s communist regime, he nationalized each industry, together with the cigar-making trade.

This supposed that the government seized all tobacco farmland and cigar-making factories and blended them into one conglomerate, the Cuban state tobacco company, Cubatabaco. Cubatabaco owns Habanos S.A., which promotes, distributes, and exports all Cuban cigars. But as a result of their manufacturing continues to be managed through the communist govt, the cigars are still illegal after 62 years.

President Obama attempted to loosen restrictions on Cuban cigars to advertise higher family members with Cuba.

During Obama’s presidency, he made strides toward a greater courting with Cuba, regardless of their willpower to communism. Cuba is America’s neighbor, so it’s better to be pleasant, which many Americans fortify. During this time, Obama made it prison for Americans to bring back as much as 100 cigars or four containers of cigars from Cuba, so long as they had been just for non-public use.

However, when Trump changed into president, he once again limited relations with Cuba and made it illegal to deliver tobacco or alcohol from Cuba into the U.S. Luckily for us, we can nonetheless get cigars from other countries, most significantly the Dominican Republic. In recent years, the production of cigars has slowed in Cuba because of local weather change. In 2022, Hurricane Ian had a significant impact on tobacco expansion. Fields was lakes and up to ninety p.c of West Cuba’s tobacco curing barns were decimated.

Plus, after America’s embargo on Cuban cigars, many professional cigar makers emigrated to the Dominican Republic to proceed making their merchandise there. This means, they might legally promote to the U.S., which is among the international’s largest markets for cigars. And in step with Wion News, the Dominican Republic has even overthrown Cuba because the cigar capital of the arena.

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