RTDA has changed its name
Posted by clarence walker on Wednesday, 08-Aug-2007
Has anyone here noticed the neame change for RTDA? Apparently, it is no longer politically correct to be associated with cigarette smokers.
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- Re: RTDA has changed its name
- Posted by Dave L on Wednesday, 08-Aug-2007
Its rather strange. The About RTDA page says: "The Retail Tobacco Dealers of America is a not-for-profit trade association organized as the advocate for the independent retail tobacconist... provides its members with assistance to fight repressive and onerous tobacco legislation at all levels." [link]
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I'm not impressed by tobacconist advocates that change their name to avoid the word 'tobacco' (and 'dealer') and that decide they are only going to be advocates for premium cigar and pipe retailers because being associated with cigarette tobacco is too scary.
"Due in part to the increasingly hostile anti-tobacco zealots and their attempts to stop adults from choosing to smoke, the RTDA announced on Saturday it will change its name to the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association. Clearly, the move is intended to distance the organization from the cigarette industry, now a lightning rod for meddling do-gooders." [link]
"Gary Pesh, the owner of Old Virginia Tobacco shops and the second vice president of the trade association, told me that the board had dropped the name in favor of a new moniker, IPCPR, for International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers. It's a mouthful, but Pesh said it gets rid of the words "tobacco" and "dealer," neither of which have the best connotations nowadays." [link]
"At the end of this summer's August convention, the RTDA will unveil a new name: the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Association (IPCPA) to more effectively differentiate the association from negative connotations within a very beleaguered tobacco industry." [link]
- Re: RTDA has changed its name
- Posted by Wazmo Nariz on Wednesday, 08-Aug-2007
I agree...you don't fight the punks and Nannies by playing by their rules and hiding behind pc monikers. A sad commentary; if these guys are "advocate[s] for the independent retail tobacconist" (and by extension, smokers) then we're doomed.
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- Re: RTDA has changed its name
- Posted by Dave L on Thursday, 09-Aug-2007
Maybe I'm paranoid but the name choice seems to go beyond avoiding politically hot words/topics. By specifying pipes and cigars it's like they are purposely distancing themselves from cigarettes and cigarette tobacco.
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- Re: RTDA has changed its name
- Posted by Wazmo Nariz on Thursday, 09-Aug-2007
I'm sure you're probably correct...I was giving them a very slight benefit-of-the-doubt. I'm not sure exactly why they would wish to distance themselves from cigarettes and cig tobacco, as I'm sure the blast of nicotine, smoke by-products, etc. is far greater from cigars (which contain far more tobacco and no extra filtration) and possibly pipe tobacco.
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Cigarettes have been made into (somewhat unfounded-ly) the bastard red-headed step-child of tobacco products for some reason. I guess because of the successful (though often seriously untruthful) PR campaigns mounted by anti-smoking zealots and their health-nazi brethren.
I guess if they (RTDA) want(s) to tacitly join that crowd and shy away from cigarette products they're free to do so...but hopefully some serious advocacy will fill the void left in the cigarette tobacco arena by their shameful posturing.
- Re: RTDA has changed its name
- Posted by clarence walker on Thursday, 09-Aug-2007
Precisely Dave, Any association with smoking cigarettes, i.e., tobacco rolled in paper, has long been the key point of emphasis of the lobbys, environmentalists, politicians and all wanting to garner political points. IT IS possible that cigarettes could well become illegal. For now, cigarette smoking has become the key target of studies of all types. With cigarettes gone, the focus will move on to new studies of other types of tobacco use and they will then become the next target. With new taxes at all levels, new restrictions on where tobacco can be enjoyed, and more in the way of government intervention in individual, personal choice it is easy to imagine cigarettes of ANY form becoming history if not a controlled substance and illegal.
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- Re: RTDA has changed its name
- Posted by Smokin n Jokin on Thursday, 09-Aug-2007
Meh. If it's function is to provide its members with assistance to fight repressive and onerous tobacco legislation at all levels I'd say it wasn't even effective enough to be concerned about.
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- Re: RTDA has changed its name
- Posted by clarence walker on Thursday, 09-Aug-2007
Excellent Dave,
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The implications here are many, but most notably in terms of what this implies for the future of tobacco in any form. Political correctness and political/legislative intervention into yet another freedom of choice area of our lives, i.e., the right to choose, and the legislation of morality issues. We have seen this move to cave in to political correctness so many times in out country and in so many areas. When a major industry association that states its reason for being as one of lobbying for the tobacco industry makes such a sweeping move that is yet another brick in the wall. This isn't so much about tobacco or cigarettes, versus pipes and cigars as a basic reflection upon how tobacco may well be a thing of the past.