Canadian House of Commons passes bill to prevent production of mini-cigars or cigarillos..

For example Prime Time Little Cigars.
June 26, 2009 - Canada, where the House of Commons last week unanimously passed a bill that U.S. tobacco observers say could eliminate the Canadian market for U.S.-grown burley tobacco, a variety commonly blended with other types of tobacco and laced with flavors to smooth its harsh taste. "The bottom line is the legislation has been written too broadly and is threatening to impose far-reaching, negative implications on burley growers," said George Marks, president of the Burley Stabilization Corp. in Knoxville, Tenn.

Known as C-32, the Canadian "Cracking Down on Tobacco Marketing Aimed at Youth Act" seeks to ban the sale and production of flavored cigarettes and cigars.

The Canadian bill's supporters say that C-32 would prevent the production of candy or fruit-flavored mini-cigars or cigarillos that are targeted at children. During 2007, about 25 percent of that country's 15to 17-year-olds smoked one of these mini-cigars, said Colin Carrie, parliamentary secretary for Canada's minister of health.

"By amending the Tobacco Act [with C-32] we can help prevent more young people from experimenting with an addictive substance," Carrie said before the bill passed in the House of Commons on June 17. The legislation is now making its way through the Canadian Senate.

Reference: Canadian law worries U.S. burley tobacco growers, MAC MCLEAN MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE, 6/26/2009.