New Zealand - Pipe Tobacco Guidance Sought.

[rotate]

I’m considering escaping European winters in my old age by staying with my son and his family for three or four months each year in New Zealand, they have a self contained flat/apartment and a car available with them for my use at no cost to me other than for fuel and live in an idyllic spot next to the sea some thirty Km’s from the City of Whangarei on NZ’s North Island.

BUT I’m a pipe smoker, which I understand is an expensive if not sometimes almost impossible activity to pursue in NZ and I’d be grateful if any NZ pipe smokers can advise on pipe tobacco availability in NZ and if it’s permissible to bring with me to NZ more pipe tobacco than the 50 Gramme duty free allowance and pay the duty/taxes required on entry into the country.

Any advice/guidance offered would be appreciated and if it should prove incorrect I’m not going to jump up and down in rage as it’s my risk and nobody else’s. I can’t get advice from my son and his wife as they are both doctors who while not overly critical of my lifestyle choice they’re not going to contribute to it in any way and I won’t be smoking anywhere near my grandkids or their home. My tobacco tastes are simple with only Borkum Riff being on my no list but then again any port in a storm if needs be.

Thank you in advance
Paul

 

[bluegrassbrian]

NZ is top 5 on my travel bucket list, so congrats on the opportunity!

Can't help you with the regulations but I'd sure as hell find a way to contraband enough to last me.

 

[rotate]

NZ is top 5 on my travel bucket list, so congrats on the opportunity!

Can't help you with the regulations but I'd sure as hell find a way to contraband enough to last me.

I’d happily live in NZ if pipe tobacco is available but I’ve a married daughter and her family in England who regularly visit me during the summer months on the island of Cyprus where I live and where my lovely late Greek wife came from so I’m caught in between the the two hemisphere’s. Both my son and my daughter who are now in their forties together with their partners want to retire early and spend Cyprus summers in the old family house which is half way up down the mountains so I’m obliged to stay alive long enough to caretake the place until they reach their mid fifties. We‘ll see about that but their countdown timer to early retirement doesn’t conflict too wildly with my forward projections.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

New Zealand and Cyprus! I hope you know how lucky you are!

 

[rotate]

New Zealand and Cyprus! I hope you know how lucky you are!

Actually yes I do and there’s not a day goes by that I don’t say thank you for the life I’ve had the wife I was married too and the children and grandchildren we had.
If you’ve ever seen the film ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ you’ll know something of my experiences but they were far more Cypriot than Greek despite the cultural sameness.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

I’m considering escaping European winters in my old age by staying with my son and his family for three or four months each year in New Zealand, they have a self contained flat/apartment and a car available with them for my use at no cost to me other than for fuel and live in an idyllic spot next to the sea some thirty Km’s from the City of Whangarei on NZ’s North Island.

BUT I’m a pipe smoker, which I understand is an expensive if not sometimes almost impossible activity to pursue in NZ and I’d be grateful if any NZ pipe smokers can advise on pipe tobacco availability in NZ and if it’s permissible to bring with me to NZ more pipe tobacco than the 50 Gramme duty free allowance and pay the duty/taxes required on entry into the country.

Any advice/guidance offered would be appreciated and if it should prove incorrect I’m not going to jump up and down in rage as it’s my risk and nobody else’s. I can’t get advice from my son and his wife as they are both doctors who while not overly critical of my lifestyle choice they’re not going to contribute to it in any way and I won’t be smoking anywhere near my grandkids or their home. My tobacco tastes are simple with only Borkum Riff being on my no list but then again any port in a storm if needs be.

Thank you in advance
Paul

It's pretty simple and sounds like you did the research already:

Bring the tobacco you want to smoke during your time in NZ and pay whatever custom taxes you are assessed.

 

[AJL67]

We have a few NZ guys here @Ahi Ka I believe is one.

I'd start sending very very small amounts of tobacco now very small, and just let them store it and it build up till you get there, slow and steady wins the race ... well sort of.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Pipe Tobacco selection here is pretty much non-existent. Look up this website for an example of what’s on offer:

PIPE TOBACCO | Canteros New Zealand

Buy your Pipe Tobacco online from Canteros New Zealand - your source for Ashton, Peterson, Lane, Erinmore, Davidoff and Drew Estate Pipe Tobacco .

www.canteros.nz

This is really the only place you can purchase pipe tobacco in NZ. Also notice the prices, $130-$180nzd for 50g.

I suggest you bring everything you wish to smoke with you into the country. As you are aware you can bring 50g duty/gst free. Above that, you will be charged about $100nzd per 50g.

I should add that while it is currently illegal to send (well, for your family here to receive) pipe tobacco in the post, there are exceptions to this law for the likes of cigars and chewing tobacco.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I also want to add that where you are going to be staying is a beautiful part of the country. As children we would spend our summer holidays at the whangarei heads at Pataua beach.

Another option going forward, would be to grow tobacco while you are here. With that regions weather you would easily be able to get a small crop grown, harvested and cured in the timeframe of your stay. You could then put it aside and it would be ready for the following year when you return

 

[kcghost]

It is such a lovely part of the world you could give up pipe smoking for 2 or 3 months.

 

[AJL67]

Pipe Tobacco selection here is pretty much non-existent. Look up this website for an example of what’s on offer:

PIPE TOBACCO | Canteros New Zealand

Buy your Pipe Tobacco online from Canteros New Zealand - your source for Ashton, Peterson, Lane, Erinmore, Davidoff and Drew Estate Pipe Tobacco .

www.canteros.nz

This is really the only place you can purchase pipe tobacco in NZ. Also notice the prices, $130-$180nzd for 50g.

I suggest you bring everything you wish to smoke with you into the country. As you are aware you can bring 50g duty/gst free. Above that, you will be charged about $100nzd per 50g.

I should add that while it is currently illegal to send (well, for your family here to receive) pipe tobacco in the post, there are exceptions to this law for the likes of cigars and chewing tobacco.

So what you are saying is to buy some tobacco leaves and "roll' the pipe tobacco up, you are brilliant, now I'm an honest guy and would never skirt the law or even post skirting the law, but you really are a genius with the roll it up angle.

 

[Ahi Ka]

So what you are saying is to buy some tobacco leaves and "roll' the pipe tobacco up, you are brilliant, now I'm an honest guy and would never skirt the law or even post skirting the law, but you really are a genius with the roll it up angle.

 

[Nevaditude]

@Ahi Ka, you are a good man jumping in and helping him think through things.
I am happy @rotate gets to go & jealous of where you live, It sounds amazing, especially what you described. Ummm, but the tobacco censorship there, not so much. When I was a young man, I use to sail around SF bay and out the Golden Gate, later around the islands of Kauai & Oahu KNOWING that I would one day LIVE in NZ. Sigh...Typical young & dumb thoughts. I not only have never been to NZ but haven't returned to Hawaii in over 40 years. Life happens, right? But that Kiwi kindness I hear so much about shines through in your posts.
Well done & be well...

 

[Ahi Ka]

@Ahi Ka, you are a good man jumping in and helping him think through things.
I am happy @rotate gets to go & jealous of where you live, It sounds amazing, especially what you described. Ummm, but the tobacco censorship there, not so much. When I was a young man, I use to sail around SF bay and out the Golden Gate, later around the islands of Kauai & Oahu KNOWING that I would one day LIVE in NZ. Sigh...Typical young & dumb thoughts. I not only have never been to NZ but haven't returned to Hawaii in over 40 years. Life happens, right? But that Kiwi kindness I hear so much about shines through in your posts.
Well done & be well...

On behalf of all NZ, I give thee a hearty “Chur bro”

 

[OzPiper]

I would one day LIVE in NZ. Sigh...Typical young & dumb thoughts. I not only have never been to NZ but haven't returned to Hawaii in over 40 years. Life happens, right?
Well done & be well...

I loved my time in Kiwiland - lovely, extremely friendly and hospitable people (Just make sure you're cheering on the All Blacks at rugby games )
I worked a while (temporary job) in Auckland in the mid-1970s and was offered a permament job "anytime you want to take it up"
I returned to Sydney to my girlfriend (now my wife) and that was the end of that.
Sad to say I have not even returned for a visit

 

[OverMountain]

View attachment 238889

Ol slick willie with the customs advice! . Perfect on so many levels.

 

[S.A. DeVault]

And here I sit thinking of how insane tobacco regulations are in the States. I know that pipe smoking went through an unfortunate decline in the second half of the 20th century, but has New Zealand really lost so many pipe smokers that such a law could be passed? Or is the government so extremist in their views that they simply don't care?

 

[OzPiper]

And here I sit thinking of how insane tobacco regulations are in the States. I know that pipe smoking went through an unfortunate decline in the second half of the 20th century, but has New Zealand really lost so many pipe smokers that such a law could be passed? Or is the government so extremist in their views that they simply don't care?

NZ often takes its lead from Australia
Or is it the other way around

In any case, two of the most over-legislated and over-taxed nanny states in the world

 

[Ahi Ka]

I think it is important to remember that the historical and current constitutional context of NZ is quite distinct to that of USA, heck even to Australia. Our countries don’t necessarily share the same social memories when it comes to tobacco usage, and there are unique cultural dynamics to consider. Rightly or wrongly, anti-smoking legislation has been on the table since the 80s with a primary goal of decreasing the health inequities experienced by minority groups.