The Cuban Cigar Embargo

For those of you who came to age during theNo American wanted Communism to spread
1960's, you probably vividly remember where youthroughout the world, believing that the form of
were when JFK was shot. For those of you who aregovernment that works for insect colonies would not
cigar lovers, you probably vividly remember wherenecessarily work for humans, but no American
you were when he made Cuban Cigars illegal.wanted cigars from Cuba to become illegal either.
For over four decades, cigar smokers of AmericaJFK himself was among those who indulged in the
have been left without the ability to procure what'sluxuries of a Cuban Cigar. In fact, knowing the
reputed to be the finest smokes on the market;embargo was imminent, JFK sent his press secretary
they've been left empty -handed like a child who lostout to obtain a stockpile of Cuban Cigars on the eve
a favorite toy, a very luxurious, flavorful toy, in abefore he signed the Executive Order.
neighbor's backyard. This has placed cigar lovers inFor those who didn't have the inside information of
perpetual wonderment, asking why they are missingthe President, the Cuban Cigar embargo ended a
out on one of life's greatest pleasures.cigar democracy Americans had come to love and
The Historyexpect.
Bent on a legacy of close economic and geographicalJust as Prohibition forever changed the alcohol
relations, the ties between Cuba and America beganindustry, the Cuban Cigar embargo forever changed
to unravel when the Cuban Revolution gave Fidelthe cigar industry; it is as if all the government needs
Castro power on January 7, 1959. These tensionsto do to shake up any industry is make something
between the two countries were furtherabout that industry illegal. While Prohibition saw
compounded when Cuba and the Soviet Unionbootleggers and wine smuggling, the Cuban Cigar
appeared in cahoots, like two forces attending aembargo saw the black market obtain a best selling
Communistic tea party. Reacting to this two-headeditem.
threat, the US dealt with unraveling ties by severingBut, of course, anytime anything comes onto the
them altogether.black market, counterfeiters sit by licking their lips
Cuban Cigars found their way into the history booksand waiting for unsuspecting purchasers. This is
on February 7, 1962. Intending to cut off Castro andparticularly true with Cuban Cigars. While they are
his government, JFK implemented a trade embargo.seemingly easy to get inside the US, everyone has a
Americans, under this embargo, were prohibited fromfriend who has a friend who sells them, those
purchasing Cuban Cigars and Cuba, as JFK intended,patrons who purchase them have a better chance of
lost a majority of their customer base, and a greatbeing scammed than obtaining the real thing.
amount of revenue.The Cuban Cigar embargo also added to its already
The US government knew this would happen; justexciting reputation: smoking something illegal often
four years earlier 67 percent of Cuba's exports andseems more fun than smoking something not
70 percent of their imports involved the US. A tradeprohibited by law. Banning the cigars drew attention
embargo was sure to hit them below the belt. Andto them and, as soon as smokers learned they
so, JFK laced up his gloves.couldn't have them, they wanted them even more.
While the embargo resulted in American exportersThis resulted in a boom in the black market (Cuban
losing an estimated 1.2 billion, the Cuban governmentCigars began circulating everywhere), an upslope of
lost much more; the embargo cost them roughly 70cigar smuggling (people began transporting Cuban
billion. However, this loss didn't hit Cuba with theCigars from Canada, where the embargo did not
force intended; the Soviet Union, supplying Cuba withexist) and a foundation of counterfeiting (some
subsidies, shielded the blow.people were able to quit their day jobs and start a
The Criticismbusiness peddling fake Cubans, not much of a dental
As soon as the embargo began, so did the criticism.plan, but lucrative nonetheless).
While tobacco lovers everywhere were angry,The Cuban Cigar embargo is the epitome of tobacco
standing by and watching their ability to procure thehistory. Not only have few government acts in the
best cigars in the world go up in smoke, much of theentire existence of America impacted the smoking
criticism came on a political level.industry so drastically, but the Cuban Cigar embargo
While some argued that the embargo onlydemonstrates how much the history of a nation is
strengthened the unity between the Soviet Unionintertwined with the history of cigars.
and Cuba - just as the attack on Pearl HarborThe embargo had nothing to do with cigars
strengthened the relationship between the US andthemselves, JFK wasn't offended or turned off by
Great Britain - others argued that the embargo gavesomething a Cuban Cigar had once said to him. It was
Castro an excuse for Cuba's lack of prosperity. In amerely a political move to protect a country during a
time when Cuba was plagued by problems, criticstime when Communism seemed ready to take over.
feared Castro would be able to shrug his shouldersHowever, times have changed: the Soviet Union has
and say, "What? It's not me; blame the cigars."since dissolved and Cuba is not the threat they were
To this day, the embargo continues to be looked onin the years that preceded the Cold War. It seems, in
negatively by members of the United Nations. Eachfairness to American smokers, that Cuban Cigars
year the UN calls, by a large majority vote, for theshould once again be legal: the Cuban Cigar embargo
US to lift its embargo and each year the US refuses.needs a little embargoing of its own.
The Impact