# Cigar commercial on TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2025, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453 "2025-10-31T15:06:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happytree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happytree/32/3555_2.png) [@Happytree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happytree)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/1 "2025-10-31T15:06:31Z")
I saw a commercial for Swisher Sweet cigars on streaming TV last night. Is this legal? The first thing that came to mind was Donald Glover’s comedy-drama, “Atlanta”. One episode featured satirical Swisher Sweet ads. This is NOT what I saw last night! I was watching Magellan TV Wildest, a free channel on Roku. I saw this ad between 1am and 2am. The ad featured a group of hip looking young black folks in shiny, puffy jackets. They were in a dark lit house party scene or VIP area of a club. There was a shiny couch. They were living it up with Swisher Sweets. There was a slogan, but i can’t remember. Certainly similar to the ads on Atlanta, but no hint of satire. Is there some kind of exception for late night streaming? Was this a hack/prank? Is it possible that streaming ads are tailored to the viewer, and Swisher is only targeting folks they believe won’t make a stink? Who can I report this to? How can I prove it? Did they make this ad so that I would look crazy on a message board? I know our memories are flawed, but i just saw this last night. I was shocked. Someone else had to see this. I tried to google, and all the hits are assuring folks that they must have caught a chunk of Atlanta. On Magellan TV? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/2 "2025-10-31T15:20:15Z")
OK, I’ll bite. It seems to be illegal to advertise “small” cigars on TV, like cigarillos, but not larger cigars. Swisher Sweets apparently has both small and regular sizes in their product line. I presume the commercial you saw had small cigars in it? Is it possible that such restrictions apply to cable and broadcast, but not streaming? ---
**Author:** ![Happytree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happytree/32/3555_2.png) [@Happytree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happytree)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/3 "2025-10-31T15:35:32Z")
The ad wasn’t for “little cigars”. It was for the flavored cigars that people generally only use for rolling blunts. This is legal? I was shocked, because I don’t think I recall seeing a tobacco ad of any kind on tv in my entire life. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/4 "2025-10-31T16:42:58Z")
> [@Happytree](#): > > Magellan TV Wildest, a free channel on Roku I’ve never heard of this. Is it a “real” TV channel, or a glorified online stream that happens to be available on Roku? (Insofar as the distinction can be made any more.) The ad regulators may not consider this to be television. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/5 "2025-10-31T17:10:31Z")
> [@Happytree](#): > > It was for the flavored cigars that people generally only use for rolling blunts. I’m afraid I don’t know how this works, but it does not seem to be a distinction that is important to the feds. > [@Happytree](#): > > This is legal? I was shocked, because I don’t think I recall seeing a tobacco ad of any kind on tv in my entire life. You are younger than I am. These days I don’t see cigar ads on TV either, which may be for economic rather than regulatory reasons. Perhaps they don’t want to publish the required warnings. Federal regulations on tobacco product advertising are enforced by the FCC (broadcast only) and FTC (print and other media). Cervaise probably has the right answer, the channel/stream you were watching is probably not in their regulatory sphere. If you want to report this ad, you should probably start with the FTC and see where that takes you. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/6 "2025-10-31T17:23:54Z")
> [@Happytree](#): > > The ad wasn’t for “little cigars”. It was for the flavored cigars that people generally only use for rolling blunts. Swisher Sweets usually makes “cigarillos”, which are small cigars. They _do_ make full size cigars, but they call them “giants”. And I don’t believe they are “flavored”, so it sounds like it was a commercial for their smaller cigars. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/7 "2025-10-31T17:30:23Z")
You aren’t crazy. [Here’s a Reddit thread from 6 months](https://www.reddit.com/r/HBOMAX/comments/1k50kre/am_i_the_only_one_getting_swisher_sweets_ads/) ago asking the same question about such ads on HBO Max. My first thought was that rules don’t apply to streaming services (like Magellan TV) but others suggest it’s not the service, it’s the type of tobacco. It might also be that the rules are not entirely clear when it comes to streaming so the company and the carriers are like “why not? Let’s run them until someone makes us stop.” ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/8 "2025-10-31T17:47:07Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > My first thought was that rules don’t apply to streaming services (like Magellan TV) but others suggest it’s not the service, it’s the type of tobacco. You can’t advertise tobacco on TV or radio. That is the law in the US. Streaming is not a television broadcast, and often does not have commercials separate from content, but rather integrated into it. > **[Americans face disparities in exposure to tobacco on streaming platforms](https://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/americans-face-disparities-in-exposure-to-tobacco-on-streaming-platforms.h00-159699912.html)** > > Tens of millions of Americans are being exposed to tobacco content on streaming services, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The researchers found that the odds of encountering tobacco products being... > The World Health Organization recommends a complete ban on all forms of tobacco advertising and promotion. While cigarette advertisements on traditional television and radio have been banned in the U.S. since the 1970s, these regulations do not extend to portrayals of tobacco in modern streaming content. Shete notes concerns that this gap may allow tobacco companies to subtly target and influence vulnerable populations while circumventing existing restrictions. So most likely this wasn’t a “commercial” as you expect to see on a TV show or radio show, where they break away from programming to show an advertisement spot. Streaming services often integrate advertisements into their content. And it’s often up to the platform to regulate it, not the government. > **[Tobacco promotion restriction policies on social media](https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/33/3/398)** > > Tobacco promotion is prolific on social media, with each platform setting their own restrictions on tobacco promotion and sales. We evaluated the policies related to tobacco product promotion and sales on 11 sites that are popular with youth in May... > Tobacco promotion is prolific on social media, with each platform setting their own restrictions on tobacco promotion and sales. We evaluated the policies related to tobacco product promotion and sales on 11 sites that are popular with youth in May 2021: Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Tumblr, Twitch, Twitter and YouTube. Nine of the 11 sites prohibited _paid advertising_ for tobacco products. However, only three of them clearly prohibited _sponsored content_ (ie, social influencers) that promotes tobacco. Six platforms restricted content that _sells tobacco products_ and three tried to _prohibit underage access_ to content that promotes or sells tobacco products. Although most platform policies prohibited paid tobacco advertising, few addressed more novel strategies, such as sponsored/influencer content and few had age-gating to prevent youth access. There is a pressing need to regulate tobacco promotion on social media platforms. It’s a massive grey area, and tobacco companies are taking advantage of it. ---
**Author:** ![Happytree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happytree/32/3555_2.png) [@Happytree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happytree)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/9 "2025-11-01T19:39:44Z")
Magellan Wildest is a “fake” streaming channel, it shows old content. I assume that there’s a “real” Magellan with paid subscription. I haven’t had “regular” tv in years, so I’m not sure. Anyway, much ado about nothing if it’s legal. I was just taken aback. ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/10 "2025-11-01T23:07:07Z")
I miss the White Owl, Dutch Masters, and other mass market cigar ads. I don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![EnolaStraight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@EnolaStraight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnolaStraight)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/11 "2025-11-03T15:08:16Z")
Garcia Y Vega cigar commercials I remember being seen on American television broadcasts in the 80s. [Garcia Y Vega Still An Honest Cigar Commercial 1988 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgPgmCfrQaQ) [Garcia Y Vega Cigars 1987 TV Commercial “Still An Honest Cigar”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px-CgKtPDZQ) [1986 - “Still an Honest Cigar”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqAXZ37VVvs) ---
**Author:** ![sumwatdamagd81](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@sumwatdamagd81](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sumwatdamagd81)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/12 "2026-04-02T08:39:25Z")
This is real. I just saw the same thing on a Roku channel while I was watching everybody hates Chris. I was shocked to see it. I’ve always hated the fact that they cannot show tobacco ads but beer and liquor commercials are fine. Booze is at least as harmful if not more to the drinker and those around them at home or on the road ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/13 "2026-04-02T11:02:34Z")
> [@sunacres](#): > > I miss the White Owl, Dutch Masters, and other mass market cigar ads. I don’t know why. Yeah. There used to be all sorts of commercials on TV for cigars, even after the ban on cigarette advertising. I think they were eagerly taking advantage of the loophole. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/14 "2026-04-02T16:33:35Z")
[Hamlet Cigar advert - Blind Date](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW7ymLxNy-0) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/15 "2026-04-02T16:51:18Z")
Some Roku channels play old movies And television, and have classic commercials from days gone by. I have seen old cigar and cigarette commercials on The B-Zone and B Movie TV. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2026, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/16 "2026-04-02T22:52:39Z")
why do feel the need to report this? ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/17 "2026-04-04T16:54:37Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Swisher Sweets usually makes “cigarillos”, which are small cigars. To complement on this: Both “cigarette” and “cigarillo” means, etymologically, “small cigar”. The -illo and -ette are two different diminutive endings affixed to the root word, cigar. The main difference is that a cigarette has a paper wrapper, whereas a cigarillo is wrapped in a tobacco leaf. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/18 "2026-04-04T17:01:50Z")
Radio bandwidth is a finite resource, so government regulation of it is necessary in order for it to be usable by anyone. One part of this regulation is that the government can regulate what’s broadcast over that finite bandwidth. With streaming, though, there’s no such limitation. Anyone can stream as much as they want, and it won’t impact anyone else’s ability to stream. So the only restrictions are the ones the streaming services themselves choose to impose. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigar-commercial-on-tv/1024453/19 "2026-04-04T19:05:59Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > To complement on this: Both “cigarette” and “cigarillo” means, etymologically, “small cigar”. The -illo and -ette are two different diminutive endings affixed to the root word, cigar. Sure, what I meant was that they are much closer in appearance to a normal cigar than a cigarette. > [@Schnitte](#): > > The main difference is that a cigarette has a paper wrapper, whereas a cigarillo is wrapped in a tobacco leaf. Mostly because of this. 😆