Having Tobacco Sent to California?

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mikethompson

Comissar of Christmas
Jun 26, 2016
11,862
25,741
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Last summer we went to Florida for a week, and had some tins sent to my hotel from SP. Everything went well and there was no drama.

I've heard that shipping to California is different. Can anyone expand on that? Are there extra taxes? Tin limits?

Thanks!
 
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JSPiper71

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 3, 2022
675
9,984
Toronto Canada
Last summer we went to Florida for a week, and had some tins sent to my hotel from SP. Everything went well and there was no drama.

I've heard that shipping to California is different. Can anyone expand on that? Are there extra taxes? Tin limits?

Thanks
Hi Mike, I do the same thing when I'm in the states, or when friends are there. I just sent 7oz of WCC #558 to my friend visiting California and it worked just fine.
 
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sfduke

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 14, 2012
279
404
CA
California requires an adult signature on all tobacco packages to prevent underage purchases.

Many vendors like TP (Sutliff) will charge a signature fee in addition to shipping. This is new for 2024.

Not sure if SP has implemented this as well.
 

yanoJL

Lifer
Oct 21, 2022
1,403
3,998
Pismo Beach, California
Last summer we went to Florida for a week, and had some tins sent to my hotel from SP. Everything went well and there was no drama.

I've heard that shipping to California is different. Can anyone expand on that? Are there extra taxes? Tin limits?

Thanks!
Mike, I'm in California and I order from SP all the time, no issues, no extra taxes. Just be sure to plan for a week of delivery time as they usually (for me, at least) ship via UPS ground and it takes about a week to get here from South Carolina.
 

Servant King

Lifer
Nov 27, 2020
4,815
28,041
39
Frazier Park, CA
www.thechembow.com
California requires an adult signature on all tobacco packages to prevent underage purchases.

Many vendors like TP (Sutliff) will charge a signature fee in addition to shipping. This is new for 2024.

Not sure if SP has implemented this as well.
SP has not implemented this, which to me evidences that P&C and TP may have it wrong that this is, in fact, a state requirement. I regularly see misinterpretations of legal statutes, so this isn't as far-fetched as it might sound. If this were truly a requirement, I guarantee SP would be doing it too.

Of course, if they start doing it too, that renders my whole supposition null and void! Time will tell...
 

Servant King

Lifer
Nov 27, 2020
4,815
28,041
39
Frazier Park, CA
www.thechembow.com
SP has not implemented this, which to me evidences that P&C and TP may have it wrong that this is, in fact, a state requirement. I regularly see misinterpretations of legal statutes, so this isn't as far-fetched as it might sound. If this were truly a requirement, I guarantee SP would be doing it too.

Of course, if they start doing it too, that renders my whole supposition null and void! Time will tell...
So I finally got around to actually reading the piece of legislation. Sure enough, I was right; the signature requirement part only applies to nonsale distributors. Of course, it's buried in legalese and easy to miss, and the statute (in typical fashion) does its best to muddle the reader's understanding of the terms, but if one takes the time to parse it out, it's all right there. TP, P&C, and any other sellers who require a signature for delivery (and charge the customer for it) are doing so unnecessarily. Any member of TP's legal team worth their salt could put to rest this misunderstanding quite easily...and I wish they would!
 

daveinlax

Charter Member
May 5, 2009
2,109
3,084
WISCONSIN
I still can’t believe I can get tobacco without a signature. My first mail order was from Dunhill in the late 80’s when you could buy cigarettes at 16. At that time I needed to fax a DL to London and sign for and show ID.
 
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andrew

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,086
490
Winnipeg, Canada
I still can’t believe I can get tobacco without a signature. My first mail order was from Dunhill in the late 80’s when you could buy cigarettes at 16. At that time I needed to fax a DL to London and sign for and show ID.
I remember the days as a 5 year old and we bought a pack of smokes and you just had to say it was for your mom or dad. Then it got really crazy and you had to actually produce a note from said parent you were there to buy cigarettes
 
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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
20,976
50,206
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
After the pandemic hit, enforcement of that signature requirement went into the drawer. My packages arrived on my doorstep same as always. If I remember correctly P&C, and maybe SP, asked me to vouch for my age, and that was the end of it.
People have some seriously screwy perceptions about California, but they also have some seriously screwy perceptions about a lot of things. Gotta pop those bubbles you're in.
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,825
31,562
46
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
SP has not implemented this, which to me evidences that P&C and TP may have it wrong that this is, in fact, a state requirement. I regularly see misinterpretations of legal statutes, so this isn't as far-fetched as it might sound. If this were truly a requirement, I guarantee SP would be doing it too.

Of course, if they start doing it too, that renders my whole supposition null and void! Time will tell...
it is kind of shocking how often companies misinterpret laws and regulations and end up doing things they don't actually have to do. Or they take the better safe then fined approach.
 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
10,727
37,706
SE WI
I'm not even "allowed" to ship tobacco out of WI..... 🙄. But I've only had one person mention that. Still doesn't list it on the "flammables, batteries, chemicals" screen though.