Now that Castro's gone, it's time to repeal the most absurd drug ban ever

[jmowreader]

That being the ban on Cuban cigars.

Many people here think the ban on marijuana is the most absurd drug ban ever. It's not. Comes close, but isn't. All pot is illegal, no matter where it came from--but cigars are a different story. Not only are they totally legal, you can walk into any gas station in America and walk out with a cigar...except if it's made in Cuba, and then with a very narrow exception (if you can somehow come up with a license to travel to Cuba, you can bring back $100 worth of cigars for personal use) Cuban cigars are completely illegal.

There is one problem that would have to be addressed: trade dress. When Castro took power and started nationalizing the cigar industry, the cigar barons of Cuba all hauled ass to the mainland and took their brands with them...and Cubatabac continuted to use them. Now there are two Punches, three Cohibas, a couple of Romeo y Julieta...it's fixable, but there will be lots of lawsuits.

Still, it's stupid to maintain a ban on these things--especially since it means we prohibit high-quality, melamine-free cigars with no lead paint on the boxes from entry, and welcome the arrival of lead-containing children's toys from a country that has worse dictators than Castro ever thought of being.

Let the Cubans in!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

1. One day, we'll have legal Cuban blunts.

:smoke:

[jmowreader]

5. Heathen!

Besides, Habana2000 wrapper tobacco (the replacement for Corojo on Cuban cigars) is very delicate; you'd have to be really good to get it off the cigar.

[provis99]

2. and Cuban cigars are far and away better than cigars produced anywhere else

But wasn't it Republican idiots who also wanted a boycott on French wine before the Iraq invasion? If it were up to Republicans, we'd have nothing but cans of Schlitz beer and Philly Blunts. Not that that's bad, for our Schlitz beer, Philly Blunt loving friends out there, of course.

[truedelphi]

3. Cuban sugar is also banned

Sugar is one of the most oft used drugs ever - but we pulled it out of Coca cola and other soft drinks in the 980' so the corn industry people coud put the corn syrup into soft drinks.

Nutritional experts raged against it - they said that the number of diabetes cases would sky rocket - but between wanting to keep Cuban sugar out and the need to plaate the corn lobby - corn syrup it is.

And now diabetes is epidemic.

[AlertLurker]

4. I hate prohibition.

You are wrong about the nature of the absurdity, however. There has bever been single recorded case of death by cannabis. How many tobacco-related deaths happened in the US last year?

I'm not a smoker, but I love the smell of hubby's cohibas.

Did I happen to mention that I am Canadian? Heeheehee...