Senate Bill 623 establishes a clear and responsible framework for premium cigar retailers to operate lounges in Maryland under defined regulatory standards. The bill creates a Class C–PCL license that may be issued by local licensing boards to qualified tobacconists, with strict limits on the number of licenses per county.
The legislation requires that at least 70 percent of revenue come from premium cigars, pipe tobacco, and related accessories, ensuring these businesses remain true specialty retailers. It also mandates air filtration standards, employee acknowledgment of secondhand smoke exposure, annual reporting, and prevents licensure adjacent to healthcare or child care facilities.
This is a narrowly tailored modernization effort that provides clarity for small businesses while maintaining meaningful safeguards.
Please contact your Senator and Delegate today and urge them to support SB 623. Maryland premium cigar retailers deserve regulatory certainty and fair treatment.