Pain in Maine-brain

[obc83]

Here's a link to the specifc statute that disallows mailorder tobacco in Maine. Except for "premium cigars." I am still mid-research but I would really love to hear any insight anyone might have as to why that particular exemption exists. I'm given to generally assume that it is in favor of money and the moneyed. Taxes and those that can easily afford them. Much like the growing sentiment toward civilian disarmament juxtaposed against the fact that any sufficiently wealthy person can more or less buy a gunman to protect themselves and their interests (any sufficiently advanced wealth is indistinguishable from magic -Arthur C. Narc). Generally driving all of the good and proper bits of a healthy life up and away from the grasp of the plebian masses and firmly into the hands of the elite and effete... yadda yadda, you get it. Maybe there's another reason, but I doubt it. Furthermore what nicotine fiending teenager in their right mind is going to order and wait on a tin of Half and Half or Captain Black instead of just getting an older kid to buy them a pack of camels (specific example from experience) or even more likely, as tobacco use is often inherited, snag it from mom's purse. And if they do use the post, shouldn't they perhaps be rewarded for their effort? Kidding, but really I'd rather see a kid smoke a pipe or have an awful time rolling up Captain Black in notebook paper (another specific example from experience). Anyway, there you have it, and as usual its our own fault for not wanting to waste our lives politicking and thus letting the most abusively over-concerned and meddlesome of our fellow citizenry drive the bus. Yuck.

Title 22, §1555-F: Delivery sales of tobacco products

 

[warren]

The post above should serve as a lesson for all of us, particularly those who love to post screeds. Try to focus! If you meander all over the place, impact is lost. The screed simply becomes a ... a wondering stream of conscious.

 

[fireground_piper]

You should probably ask the ones who wrote it why it exists for their answer. It's probably money though. That and the pipe industry really made a mess of separating themselves from the RYO industry.

Premium Cigars are easy to distinguish. Pipe tobacco is less clear when put up against RYO especially when RYO makers branded themselves as pipe tobacco to get around taxes. That all probably doesn't help when trying to carve out exemptions.

 

[obc83]

The post above should serve as a lesson for all of us, particularly those who love to post screeds. Try to focus! If you meander all over the place, impact is lost. The screed simply becomes a ... a wondering stream of conscious.

What is it about the internet that makes people just decide to just go ahead and be rude. I really hope you're not older than me. And I really don't see what's so hard to understand. I was pretty direct. I mean there's a few twists and turns, maybe even some appeals to discussion about not just the main topic but some other underlying themes. It is a whole paragraph though... I mean good god, every single thing I've posted has been utterly basted in smarm upon publication around here...not everything. But honestly it kind of sucks. Furthermore, it makes me question whether or not you're capable of seeing a bit of humor sprinkled in as worthwhile, which is fine. it sure t'aint plain talkin'

 

[obc83]

Those are

You should probably ask the ones who wrote it why it exists for their answer. It's probably money though. That and the pipe industry really made a mess of separating themselves from the RYO industry.

Premium Cigars are easy to distinguish. Pipe tobacco is less clear when put up against RYO especially when RYO makers branded themselves as pipe tobacco to get around taxes. That all probably doesn't help when trying to carve out exemptions.

Those are all good points. I hadn't considered the RYO being "pipe tobacco" thing. I'm sure that's seriously muddied the waters. Especially considering our legislature's famous lack for nuance. Thanks for replying. It feels like an interaction.

Also, I found at least one source for what might be considered a "premium" cigar. The National Library for Medicine:
"A premium cigar is typically considered to be handmade, large in size, filled with at least 50 percent natural long-leaf filler tobacco, wrapped in whole leaf tobacco, and with no filters or tips, among other characteristics."

Although it goes on to say:
"However, there is neither a formal regulatory definition of a premium cigar nor a single, consistent definition accepted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the cigar industry, courts, and the public."

This is just one source but I do wonder where they got their definition. Since we're all just making shit up these days. May just have to take your original advice, fireground, and ask them directly. I've actually not really tried to backtrack a statute like that before. I doubt it was the senators who finally said "yay" that penned the original text.

 

[obc83]

The post above should serve as a lesson for all of us, particularly those who love to post screeds. Try to focus! If you meander all over the place, impact is lost. The screed simply becomes a ... a wondering stream of conscious.

Here I fixed it for you:
Title 22, §1555-F: Delivery sales of tobacco products < this about taxes pipes.

 

[warren]

What is it about the internet that makes people just decide to just go ahead and be rude.

My apologies if you found my response rude.

Your "paragraph", as you termed it, contained multiple subjects. So, your post, rather than being easy to read and understand, suffered from jarring transitions. Such requires rereading, something I'm averse to unless the subject is "earth shaking."

You have a complaint about a local statute and it's impact on your life. Fair enough. Then you segue into class politics (those with money and those without), gun control and tobacco availability for minors, and so forth.

Finally closing with a few words on the futility you feel in trying to keep pace with current politics which, I posit only an opinion here, denotes a dislike of our Democratic Republic way of governing. Or, maybe you simply are not happy that life isn't proceeding quite as you might like because. your neighbors and such do not vote as you would like them to. And for that I share your pain. I often deplore my fellow voters their choices. But, they guaranteed the right to them.

My point was, to get back it, if you want your complaint seriously read and understood ... post it! Leave all the extraneous stuff out.

Here's a link to the specifc(sic) statute that disallows mailorder(sic) tobacco in Maine. Except for "premium cigars." I am still mid-research but I would really love to hear any insight anyone might have as to why that particular exemption exists.

The above is your complaint, admirably well stated, clear and to the point. The rest, in my opinion, appear to be your political feelings which add nothing to your stated request.

Again, I apologize for my perceived rudeness.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I don't see this thread turning into light, much less sweetness.

Done.