New Zealand Bans Importing Some Tobacco Products

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mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,563
24,081
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sorry for the bad news.

Javan returns to the forum only to post this?! Kidding aside, Welcome back!

I wouldn't let this law change my view of visiting NZ or Australia again that's for sure, but it is another example of pipe tobacco getting caught in the cross hairs.

There is still about a month before the hammer falls, so place those orders while you can!
 

Ahi Ka

Lurker
Feb 25, 2020
6,715
32,083
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
It's probably aimed at cigarettes, and pipe tobacco is collateral damage.
July 1st will be closing a current loop hole where one can import unmanufactured whole leaf tobacco tax free. What pisses me off is that every form of tobacco - except cigars and smokeless - has been moved to the prohibited items list. So now instead of paying duty tax for pipe tobacco it has become illegal. I genuinely thought we had another year up our sleeves.
 

BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,036
IA
July 1st will be closing a current loop hole where one can import unmanufactured whole leaf tobacco tax free. What pisses me off is that every form of tobacco - except cigars and smokeless - has been moved to the prohibited items list. So now instead of paying duty tax for pipe tobacco it has become illegal. I genuinely thought we had another year up our sleeves.
Govt overreach of a monarchy my friend.
 
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Jan 28, 2018
13,742
151,593
67
Sarasota, FL
@hoosierpipeguy you can still bring in 50g tax free with you, so maybe just come for a weekend?

That makes sense. I spend thousands of dollars and travel 30 hours plus to spend a weekend. I have considered, way more than once, how kewl it would be to take a 1 month trip to Australia and New Zealand. Something I seriously thought I might do when I retire in a couple of years. 50 gr would get me through a couple of days if I were somehow fortunate enough to find a place where I would be allowed to smoke.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderate Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
25,991
29,739
Carmel Valley, CA
So, what would be the jail sentence for smoking on the street down under?

But I'll agree that Oz and NZ are wonderful enough so that limited pipe smoking- or none!- is worth the price of admission .
 
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Ahi Ka

Lurker
Feb 25, 2020
6,715
32,083
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
I think the jail time involves being locked up with @condorlover1 and his filthy mind...

just to clarify, smoking is not illegal in public and you can still grow your own tobacco (30lbs a year roughly) and bring in stuff tax free (until 2025) if it is below the 50g limit. Above that limit you pay around $50us per 50g.

The game changer is that now if I wanted to order through say smoking pipes, I need to apply for a permit (which allows one import per year) and I need to use a registered freight forward company. Essentially it is about enforcing control over the supply line.
 

Ahi Ka

Lurker
Feb 25, 2020
6,715
32,083
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
That makes sense. I spend thousands of dollars and travel 30 hours plus to spend a weekend. I have considered, way more than once, how kewl it would be to take a 1 month trip to Australia and New Zealand. Something I seriously thought I might do when I retire in a couple of years. 50 gr would get me through a couple of days if I were somehow fortunate enough to find a place where I would be allowed to smoke.
And under armour is all the rage here so you will fit right in!

joking aside, it is a beautiful country to visit and most of us are fairly decent and welcoming people. If you decide to pop on over, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Happy to help out in any way. Same goes for the rest of you buggers
 

mortonbriar

Lifer
Oct 25, 2013
2,776
6,035
New Zealand
I have had about a decade to grieve/rant over and moan/wail about the impending tobaccopocalypse, and so for the most part I have come to terms with it. The frustrating part is that I cannot make good use of the month or so until the deadline until I start seeing international shipping moving normally again post COVID, I believe this inconvenient timing is somewhat strategic and that does piss me off a bit.

Essentially though I do not want my hobby to turn into a rage induced 50 year legal/political campaign that goes nowhere so I am not looking to fight it. I am optimistic about growing and curing my daily smoke and the weekly treat will come from my cellar. I was thinking I had about a 7 year cellar, but if it becomes my weekly smoke then thats a 49 year cellar! 37+49= ...I will just wake up my 7 year old to help me with the math...86, yeah that's ok. The occasional tin of something will come through duty free with a trip, that should get me up to 90. That last 30 years through to 120 is all I have to worry about now.
 
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Ahi Ka

Lurker
Feb 25, 2020
6,715
32,083
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
I have had about a decade to grieve/rant over and moan/wail about the impending tobaccopocalypse, and so for the most part I have come to terms with it. The frustrating part is that I cannot make good use of the month or so until the deadline until I start seeing international shipping moving normally again post COVID, I believe this inconvenient timing is somewhat strategic and that does piss me off a bit.

Essentially though I do not want my hobby to turn into a rage induced 50 year legal/political campaign that goes nowhere so I am not looking to fight it. I am optimistic about growing and curing my daily smoke and the weekly treat will come from my cellar. I was thinking I had about a 7 year cellar, but if it becomes my weekly smoke then thats a 49 year cellar! 37+49= ...I will just wake up my 7 year old to help me with the math...86, yeah that's ok. The occasional tin of something will come through duty free with a trip, that should get me up to 90. That last 30 years through to 120 is all I have to worry about now.
Or you could sample that mouldy batch of crop and I would then have 7year cellar...
 
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alaskanpiper

Enabler in Chief
May 23, 2019
9,421
43,711
Alaska
Can’t speak for NZ but in the US all government decisions can be traced back to one of three things. Money. Power (Money). Or re-election (Power and Money).

That fact that people still refer to holding office as “service” is hilarious. We are certainly getting served.

I’m sure with a little research you’d find NZ’s tobacco legislation is rooted in one of the above, marketed by professionals as something else (health, safety, etc).
 

Ahi Ka

Lurker
Feb 25, 2020
6,715
32,083
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
no research necessary man. The press release says importing tax free is just not fair for the rest of kiwis who pay OTC prices. Essentially I am a bad person, not because I smoke, but because I don’t pay enough (Tax) for it
 
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Slowpony

Might Stick Around
Sep 9, 2019
51
95
NC
Dumb law. This seems to favor a particular type of store that is able to import. Restricting competition isn’t cool.
 
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Jan 28, 2018
13,742
151,593
67
Sarasota, FL
And under armour is all the rage here so you will fit right in!

joking aside, it is a beautiful country to visit and most of us are fairly decent and welcoming people. If you decide to pop on over, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Happy to help out in any way. Same goes for the rest of you buggers

Some of my comments were tongue in cheek. It is such a long and expensive journey, it would only make sense to spend at least a couple of weeks to try to take in as much as possible. I have had the good fortune to meet a few people from Australia and NZ. They seemed to be very happy and laid back folks that I enjoyed being around. It is wrong to judge an entire population based upon the actions of few misguided and ignorant politicians.

I recall growing up how we were essentially brain washed to hate Russians. During part of my career, I met and worked with a few Russian immigrants who were Engineers. And really, really liked them. Not at all like the perceptions I had. Had the opportunity to learn what it was like growing up in Russia. Unsurprisingly, they were brainwashed to hate and despise Americans.

This all leads to my theory for the human race. Regardless of race, creed, nationality or anything else, I've found more than 90% of the people I've encountered are essentially good people at heart and want the same things most of us do. To love and be loved. To succeed and enjoy life. To respect and be kind to other people. Then you have the other 5% to 10% who are greedy, disrespectful asswipes. That small % largely accounts for the misconceptions we have about other people.

And then you have BROBS, in a category all their own. LMAO
 
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