This is for flavored tobacco of all kind, even cigars. So if you live in NYC and like, say, Middletons Black and Mild cigars, soon you likely won't be able to find them there unless there's a tobacco shop near you that qualifies as a "tobacco bar". Certainly you won't find them in your local drugstore or convenience store.
The funny thing is, the definition of "tobacco bar" is very vague - requiring only 10% of revenue to be from sales of tobacco and humidor rentals.
And Menthol cigarettes are exempt from the measure.
Because kids just can't resist the allure of vanilla cigars and shit. And since it perfectly legal to sell them to kids, and none of them would ever think of smoking a menthol cigarette, and they all know that cherry cigars are the the really real shiznit.... Oh, wait.
But, if you ask me, as nefarious as the intentions are it's likely that the measure will change nothing. In fact, it sets itself up to be challenged in court on basis of merit, among other things. For starters, the way it's written will make it unlawful to carry flavored tobaccos even if you own a "tobacco bar" if you opened after December 2001. While I'm sure there is legal precedent somewhere (I've seen more retarded things than that) it's a prime candidate for a challenge because it could potentially drive lawful business out of NYC - or out of business entirely.
And let's think about this for a moment. The law doesn't limit tobacco cigarettes of the most popular type. Years ago when I managed a convenience store (yeah, this goes way back) the most popular tobacco product for underage folks to ask for was Kools or Marlboro Menthol. Vanilla cigars or cigarillos? Not on your life - they wouldn't be caught dead with those. Chewing tobacco or snuff was about as popular as freeze dried cat shit - kids know that it's disgusting the instant they see someone walking around with a "spit cup", and even most adults pass on that for similar reasons. The convenience store would rotate expired stock of that stuff out more often than it would sell it.
So what does this affect? Pretty much if you want chewing tobacco, snuff, flavored cigars, kreteks (and clove-flavored cigs), flavored pipe tobacco, and pretty much any flavored tobacco product of any kind, you have to go to a store that has been in business since before December 2001 and is dedicated to the sale of tobacco products and services.
In other words, patronize your local brick and mortar tobacconist.
If you're a teenager and you want your Malrboro Greenbox, continue going to the corner convenience store.
While I appreciate your sarcasm, I find this trend particularly irksome (I know, I know so does everyone here). I could abide it if there was some rational basis for it, but like so many things in "poopular" culture this is driven by fear tactics. Oh yeah, and a strong dose of "Truth" from the ad campaigns.
