Santa Ana, California (October 7, 2025) - Today, after receiving no response from the California court regarding our earlier request for a preliminary injunction, Cigar Rights of America (CRA), Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, Inc., Oliva Cigar Co., Piloto Cigars, Inc. d/b/a Padrón Cigars, Inc., A. Fuente & Co., LLC, Ashton Distributors, Inc., Premium Imports, Inc. d/b/a La Flor Dominicana, My Father Cigars, and the Premium Cigar Association, have filed an emergency Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). The TRO requests the court address this urgent matter before the October 9th deadline and enjoin enforcement of California’s Assembly Bill 3218 and its implementing regulations, as they apply to premium cigars defined under federal law (21 C.F.R. § 1114.3).
CRA and its co-plaintiffs took this action after several good-faith efforts to work with the California Attorney General’s Office reached an impasse, including requests to delay the October 9th deadline, as recently as October 6th. The motion argues that the state’s Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL) regulations are arbitrary, unworkable, and impose impossible timelines for compliance.
Today’s filing was a necessary step to protect the premium cigar industry from the harmful effects of California’s UTL. Because this filing was made on an urgent basis ahead of the October 9th compliance deadline, the Court may issue a response as early as tomorrow. Further updates will be provided as developments occur.
Cigar Rights of America is a national non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of the premium cigar community and advocating for balanced, common-sense regulation. CRA represents cigar manufacturers, retailers, and consumers across the United States.
This email was sent to cody.carden@cigarrights.org. To ensure that you continue receiving our emails, please add our email to your address book or safe list.
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