Cuban Cigars Legal In The U.S.? Some Sure Hope So Amid Embargo Lift

The POTUS’ announcement to lift the Cuban embargo may mean that the much beloved Cuban cigars could soon become US legal. For cigar aficionados, not all cigars are created equal, and those made in Cuba are truly unique and in a class of its own.

According to Matt Monte, a local cigar maker in Albuquerque, the possibility that he may soon be able to sell cigars imported from Cuba is exciting news. According to him, his clients are always requesting for Cuban cigars, not knowing that they’re illegal.

Monte describes Cuban cigars as “perfect.” What makes the product so flawless in his account is the carefully hand-rolled process that goes into each one.

Cuban cigars became illegal in the U.S. in 1962 after President John F. Kennedy signed the embargo banning trade with Cuba. It is said, though, that Kennedy placed hundreds of orders of the cigars right before the embargo went into effect.

While President Obama’s decision to lift the embargo has been met with both praise and criticism, most are hoping that Cuban cigars will become a product that could be legally sold in shops. Its popularity will also mean big business for local shops like those owned by Monte.

Keep in mind, though, that the embargo lift does not automatically mean that the cigars can be lawfully sold in US stores. All it means is that American tourists can visit Cuba and purchase up to $100 worth of cigars that can be brought back to American soil; it will, however, be illegal to resell them. As for Cuban cigars being sold in American stores, that would require a bill passed by Congress.

Still, people like Monte are optimistic that Cuban cigars can be sold in US stores at some point in the near future. While currently outlawed in the U.S., Cuban cigars are actually quite common and standard in most countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

[photo credit: Vicious Bits]

Cuban Cigars Legal In The U.S.? Some Sure Hope So Amid Embargo Lift