Here's most of it . . .
" You might think GIs in Iraq and Afghanistan have enough to worry about with Islamic State and the Taliban. But it turns out they’ve also got a problem called the Food and Drug Administration.
In August a new FDA rule went into effect that forbids tobacco makers and distributors from handing out free samples. Some companies that have been donating cigars to service members for decades have now stopped for fear that this is now illegal.
The FDA nuttiness has attracted the attention of Rep. Kathy Castor, a Democrat who represents Florida’s 14th district, which includes “Cigar City,” or Tampa. She has introduced a bill to “reinstate the tradition of donating cigars to our military members to provide them with a taste of home while deployed.” Her press release notes that cigars are the “second-most requested item” from troops overseas.
California Republican Duncan Hunter, who did combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before becoming a Marine reservist, says legislation shouldn’t be needed. In a Sept. 8 letter, he asked FDA Commissioner Robert Califf to clarify if the new rule really does ban cigar donations to soldiers. He’s still waiting to hear back.
Our guess is that cigars for service members is in question because it’s a proxy for the political war on tobacco, but the first casualty is common sense…."
