How to get Free Tax Cigarettes
Cigarettes in local retail stores have become a luxury because of enormous taxes. That’s why internet on-line stores have gotten very popular recently. For example: in NYC buying cigarettes, besides cigarettes price, you pay $1,50 NY State tax, $1,50 NYC tax, sales tax per every carton. Let’s take a look on the 7-Eleven store on Hanover Street in Boston’s North End. It sells a carton of Marlboros for $55.75. And in NY, the same carton of Marlboro costs around $70 depending on different local shops. At the same time for ordering 1 carton of Marlboro cigarettes through Internet, the price may vary from $16 to $32.
States and city governments are earnestly trying to cover budget shortfalls by boosting cigarette taxes.
When local tax rates ascend into the stratosphere, more smokers turn to the Web, making online retailers a tempting target.
In general, Internet sellers do not have to collect sales taxes on shipments made to other states (the National Governors Association is hoping to persuade Congress to change this).
States, cities, etc. tell us that increasing taxes on cigarettes will make people smoke less. The real reson is to increase treasury’s income of course.
Today however one of the few ways to pay for your favorite cigarettes a fair and affordable price is to order them online.
International trade - stores located out of the USA
Delivery time is between 10 days and 4 weeks. The taste of the cigarettes is different from the American made. 1 carton of Marlboro costs between $16-$23 including shipping. This is much cheaper than in American and tribal-run online stores. 1. Is it legal to order cigarettes in international online stores?
Regulation of international mail is carried out on the basis of Universal Postal Union (UPU) Convention, pursuant to which delivery of cigarettes by mail is LEGAL. At the same time, there is Imported Cigarette Compliance Act of 2000 which pretends to regulate importation of cigarettes.
There is a difference between importing cigarettes for personal and commercial use. Commercial importers are required by the Federal Trade Commission to properly label packaging of tobacco products in accordance with the Cigarette Labeling and Advertisement Act.
There are four Surgeon General’s warning labels that must be placed on each packet. These labels must be rotated on cigarette packing in accordance with a plan filed and approved by the FTC, prior to importation into the U.S.
BUT THE ABOVE IS NOT APPLICABLE TO THE CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE CIGARETTES FOR THEIR PERSONAL USE and your parcel is not subject to the Imported Cigarette Compliance Act of 2000.
Summing up previous information we can draw the conclusion that it is quite legal to order cigarettes by international mail in a small quantity for personal use.
2. Is it necessary to pay taxes at reception of mail from abroad?
In general the answer is yes, but situation never makes it possible. The only governmental body to treat parcels is US Customs. And it doesn’t impose payment for parcels fur to the following reasons:
- It takes enormous time for customs to treat small parcels because a few customs officers have to deal with millions of parcels.
- The customs is a Federal Institution and it can impose only duty that cannot exceed 3% of cargo’s cost and probably federal excise tax which is $3.90 per carton ($0.39 per pack). And the cost price for preparing necessary documentation for one parcel containing 1 carton $20 worth is much higher than $4.50 ($3.90+$0.6) duty receivable.
- We’ve never heard of situations when customs imposed duty for somebody’s parcel.
3. What is the value of risks involved?
The only risk is that your parcel (or parcels) won’t reach the destination. It may be lost, stolen or confiscated. But all the above have very small influence upon customer, because in the majority of cases, the online shop either reships the cigarettes or issues full refunds. And moreover, customer can file a back charge with his bank and/or CC Company to receive the amount paid back. Confiscations occur in very rare cases because of the wrong application of the Imported Cigarette Compliance Act of 2000. In this case customer gets the letter notification that he can dispute this confiscation. And most important, neither City, nor State can ask the customer to pay taxes (to recover the money tied up you should contact the merchant first of all).
The next important issue is that US Postal Service (USPS) that delivers international parcels doesn’t disclose any information, and moreover it even doesn’t store any information about the content inside packages delivered. While private carriers like FedEx, UPS Inc. and DHL agreed to cease delivery of cigarettes to consumers throughout the United States, United States Postal Service is the only one left among major carriers who refused to comply with this law and continues to deliver cigarettes to individuals, explaining that they do not agree they have the power to inspect personal packages to determine what they contain. You may view a brief story about famous international cigarettes store Yesmoke here…
Summary:
- quality differs a little from American made smokes
- delivery time is longer
But
- the LOWEST price
- the highest personal safety
