Cigar Bars Try to Mitigate Disaster in Nebraska

No Good Day for Nebraska Cigars

Representatives from 11 cigar bars in Nebraska gathered in Omaha Wednesday to brainstorm ways to stall the effects of a recent state Supreme Court ruling banning their patrons from smoking indoors.

The Nebraska Supreme Court Friday declared unconstitutional exemptions for cigar bars and tobacco shops in the state’s indoor smoking ban. Leaving Cigar Bars literally smoke free. Cigar bar licenses expire Oct. 31. After that, it’s unclear when, if ever, they’ll be allowed to smoke cigars inside the bar again.

This most likely will force the closing of most, if not all Cigar Bars in their current form.

The revoking of Cigar Bar licensees will lead to unemployment and other economic problems for those that were directly or indirectly employed by those establishments.

The issue is now where can individuals that enjoy premium cigars go? Smoking Bans in the United States have been growing at an epidemic rate. Cities such as Alice, Texas and private companies such as Carnival Cruise Lines have recently banned cigars. Some cites have decided to just ban single cigars, making it more of an annoyance than an actual ban.

But wholesale banning cigar bars within an entire state? This must be a first. What are your thoughts?