J.C. Newman Cigar Co. has filed applications to register 163 cigars on Californiaโ€™s Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL), while another 35 are exempt because of their wholesale price. In total, 198 of the companyโ€™s cigars will remain available in the state under Assembly Bill 3218, which requires cigars to be listed or exempt to be legally sold.

โ€œSince 1895, our family business has overcome countless challenges. The California Unflavored Tobacco List is just the latest,โ€ said Drew Newman, fourth-generation cigar maker. He noted that nearly all of the companyโ€™s products in California were included to protect retailers from being left with unsellable inventory.

Newman also expressed concern that premium cigars will bear disproportionate costs under the program, citing $300 fees per product. Despite this, he reaffirmed the companyโ€™s commitment to supporting brick-and-mortar retailers and maintaining compliance.

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