There’s a not-so-new fad lighting up on campuses across the country, including universities in Iowa.

The art and pleasures of cigar smoking, according to Newsweek, have become a part of the Generation X culture.

“Each kind [of cigar] is an art of its own,” Ryan Lumsden, founder and executive president of the University of Iowa Cigar Society, said.

Lumsden said he enjoys smoking fine cigars and has made this hobby a part of his social life. “Cigars and preferences are real conversation pieces.”

Chad Nuese, vice-president of the University of Iowa Cigar Society, said more people smoke cigars than people may expect.

“If someone notices someone else smoking a cigar, they’ll often ask what kind. It’s very conversational,” Nuese said.

The Cigar Society at the University of Iowa was started last spring. Now students at Iowa State are currently in the process of organizing a cigar club of their own on campus.

John Hamilton, sophomore in pre-business, is working to get the club started. “My vision is to have a group that meets weekly. We would try different cigars, learn how to smoke them, and find out what tastes best and why.”

Hamilton said he has enjoyed smoking cigars for a long time.

“It’s really cool. It’s a good way to relax and socialize with others who share the same interests, and it’s more fun with friends. You can’t smoke a cigar alone,” he said.

According to the article in the Oct. 28 issue of Newsweek, cigar smoking is a way for young adults to test the waters of adulthood in a way that is acceptable to them.

The article states the trend of cigar smoking represents high living, and for Generation X something that represents high living might have to suffice for the real thing. Cigars and other high-class-yet-old-fashioned accouterments, such as bridge, gas-guzzling cars, malts and golf, have become the style.

However recreating the good old days do not always come easy. Nuese said it took some work to get the club started at the University of Iowa.

“It takes a long time to work through the university and administration, but they were very supportive and held our hand and walked us through everything,” Nuese said.

Lumsden said the group started out with about 13 guys and now they have nearly 70 members.

Nuese said it only took about three weeks for the word to spread nationwide about their club. “We had people in New York and California interested.”

The society is not just for men either, women are welcome and even encouraged to join, Nuese said.

“Right now we have about one-fifth of our group that are female. Usually about four show up for our meetings,” Nuese said.

Hamilton has similar ideas for the Iowa State version of the club. He said he knows of 20 people who are already interested in being members of the club, if the university approves their application. All new clubs must file with the Student Activities Center for university approval.

“We put in our application about a week ago. Our student activities form is all filled out. Now we are just waiting to hear,” he said.

Doug Houghton, program coordinator of the Department of Public Safety, has already been chosen as the adviser for the proposed club.

“A group of students I’ve worked with from GSB approached me about the idea. They are students who are active in GSB who are known for getting things done,” he said.

Houghton said he has a personal interest in cigar smoking, but is also in favor of students being able to have an organized group on campus for something they are interested in, no matter what it is.

Houghton said he feels cigar smoking is a “recent phenomenon” that has become a growing interest among students and others around the country.

“It’s almost become a science, like wine or cheese tasting,” he said.