Just received this email from Holts.
Is anyone else aware of their state enacting the same legislation?
Dear Valued Customers of Maryland,
YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE MADE IT ILLEGAL TO SHIP CIGARS INTO THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
Effective May 1st, 2011, a new law (http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/fnotes/bil_0008/hb0088.pdf) became effective, and Holts as well as other catalog and internet cigar retailers have been forced to stop serving you. We sell a premium, legal product and comply with each and every law enacted to assure our products are purchased lawfully and only delivered into the hands of adults of lawful age.
Sadly, however, Maryland legislators feel it is within their power to dictate where you can and cannot purchase cigars. We find this law to be UNCONSTITUTIONAL, ANTI-FREEDOM, ANTI-CHOICE AND WHOLLY UNAMERICAN. Since your legislators have eliminated online/catalog cigar sales in Maryland, you will now to be forced to pay more for your cigars and there is no guarantee you will have access to your favorite cigar brands. Furthermore, if you live in a rural area without a cigar store within reasonable traveling distance, you are basically denied access to cigars, period.
As a Maryland resident, YOU SHOULD BE OUTRAGED. Today its cigars. Tomorrow it will be something else - perhaps books, pencils or sneakers. Enough is enough. It is time to fight back. We need you to help overturn this ill-conceived piece of legislation!
Here is what we are asking you to do:
The Maryland state Comptroller, Peter Franchot, is a publicly elected official. We urge you to contact him today. Tell him youre a voter who enjoys cigars, and that the following 2 things are a fact: (1) you believe that this law is an unconstitutional denial of your right to buy legal products across state lines; and (2) THIS IS AN ISSUE UPON WHICH YOU WILL BASE YOUR VOTE!
You can reach Mr. Franchot by calling him at 1-800-552-3941 or emailing him at pfranchot@comp.state.md.us.
Or you can mail him at:
Comptroller of Maryland
80 Calvert Street
P.O. Box 466
Annapolis, MD 21404-0466
We have also attached links below for you to contact your local state Senators and Congressmen. Your voice needs to be heard!
Maryland Senate - http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/05sen/html/sene.html
Maryland House of Representatives - http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/hsee.html
Sincerely,
Holts Management
This message was sent by: Holts Cigar Company, 12270 Townsend Road, Philadelphia, PA 191549
Is anyone else aware of their state enacting the same legislation?