News — power

No matter the family, no matter the region, mob bosses are always depicted as puffing away on cigars. Some have suggested that this was a form of stress relief, as smoking forces you to control and regulate your breathing. However, the same effect could be achieved for a much lower cost by smoking cigarettes. So then why cigars? Why pay more money for the same effect? Simply put, the smoking of these cigars was to send a message. The cigar communicated the level of power the individual held. The finer the cigar, the higher the cost. The higher the cost,...

Almost everybody has seen iconic images of some of the most famous politicians, actors and celebrities smoking a fat cigar as they celebrate victory or relax in their limited free time. However, despite cigars being a favorite of many politicians they are also one of the products governments have looked to tax at high levels in recent years. In the US, cigars have joined the majority of tobacco based products in seeing their prices rise as lawmakers see little difference between a cigar and any other tobacco product. A cigar is a signifier of power, wealth and strength for many people...