Ladies and Gentlemen, Fellow Cigar Enthusiasts, Newbies, and Occasional Smokers, welcome. Thank you for taking the time to visit us. As founder of Oahu Cigar Club I am obviously an avid cigar smoker. Whether golfing, gardening, or simply listening to jazz on my lanai, you can guarantee a lit stick is close at hand. During a brief work hiatus, I was even a bartender/tobacconist at a cigar lounge in Texas. However, enjoying a fine cigar was not always a passion for me. The first time I had a cigar, I was 16 years old. I was a young man, being rebellious with my older and admittedly cooler cousin. We had snuck off and smoked it while walking the miserably cold streets of Chicago. It was a Romeo and Juliet cigarillo my cousin had purchased in a fancy hotel bathroom. I had no idea what I was doing; I choked more than once; it tasted terrible, and despite the high of the tobacco smoke and rebellious spirit, I was not impressed. I wouldn't smoke another cigar for several years, probably for the best. The next time I smoked a cigar was in the military. We used to smoke cigars to signify a significant event, the end of a long field exercise, a successful mission, or the retirement of one of our fellow brothers in arms. Nothing pairs better with a job well done as a well-crafted, hand-rolled, full-leaf puro (except maybe the accompanying pour of whiskey). From there, I was hooked, slowly progressing in my passion and learning more about the complexities of that fine leaf and the meticulous process that makes a perfect smoke. So, like many of you, I was highly disappointed when our state legislature enacted SB975, prohibiting the shipping of tobacco products directly to consumers. As a hobbyist aficionado, I was dismayed that the cost of my enjoyment and relaxation would rise substantially.