Tobacco Taxes and Tariffs

[LikeDadDid]

I asked @Pastor Richard why tobacco prices were so high in Australia. His reply was interesting. Richard, will you repeat it please?

And while we're at it, I'd love to hear from others who are experiencing punitive government actions regarding tobacco. I know about the US of A, obviously. And suddenly I think I've put this in the wrong subforum....

 

[Pastor Richard]

I asked @Pastor Richard why tobacco prices were so high in Australia. His reply was interesting. Richard, will you repeat it please?

And while we're at it, I'd love to hear from others who are experiencing punitive government actions regarding tobacco. I know about the US of A, obviously. And suddenly I think I've put this in the wrong subforum....

Duty of $1,576.67 per kg. Inbound international travellers (not that there are many atm) may only bring in 25gr duty-free. A permit is needed to import more than that 25gr by online ordering. But the duty, and GST (like a 10% sales tax), will still be levied. Without the permit, Border Force (Customs) will intercept posted or couriered packages, confiscate them, and fine the recipient.

 

[gervais]

That shit shouldn't even be legal, lmao

 

[bullet08]

I don't think Aussie government has been informed Australia is no longer penal colony. No need to punish the citizens harsher than UK had in couple of centuries ago.

 

[warren]

If the electorate want the smokers to pay exorbitant taxes, smokers will pay exorbitant taxes.

 

[craig61a]

Two certainties in life - taxes, death.

 

[Ahi Ka]

In my opinion, the worst part is that legally you cannot grow tobacco in Australia, not even a small amount for personal use. It is deemed a prohibited plant or a taxable commodity.

 

[Brendan]

In my opinion, the worst part is that legally you cannot grow tobacco in Australia, not even a small amount for personal use. It is deemed a prohibited plant or a taxable commodity.

Just looked up the penalties, yep I was gonna say quarter of a million in a fines and up to 10 years imprisonment...

Funny that it's taxed to oblivion and that the penalties are so harsh, say compared to oh, ice/meth..

bUt ItZ fOr oUR OwN GoOD!!!..

tHiNk oF ThA cHiLdREn!!!

 

[tobefrank]

Just looked up the penalties, yep I was gonna say quarter of a million in a fines and up to 10 years imprisonment...

Funny that it's taxed to oblivion and that the penalties are so harsh, say compared to oh, ice/meth..

bUt ItZ fOr oUR OwN GoOD!!!..

tHiNk oF ThA cHiLdREn!!!

I've read about the penalties as well. It does appear to be mainly targeted at commercial size growing operations. I personally doubt that you'd get more than a fine for growing one or two plants in your backyard, but I guess I don't really know that for sure.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I've read about the penalties as well. It does appear to be mainly targeted at commercial size growing operations. I personally doubt that you'd get more than a fine for growing one or two plants in your backyard, but I guess I don't really know that for sure.

Yet I'd think law enforcement /or Customs authorities in AU does not have any interest in travelling by rural area in search of few tobacco plants, this all sounds me as pure absurd

 

[Ahi Ka]

I've read about the penalties as well. It does appear to be mainly targeted at commercial size growing operations. I personally doubt that you'd get more than a fine for growing one or two plants in your backyard, but I guess I don't really know that for sure.

Agreed. My point was more to do with that even here in NZ where tobacco products are equally taxed as high/if not higher, we still have an exception in the customs act which allows for one to process up to 5kg of home grown tobacco for personal use per year.

 

[bullet08]

Moonshiners and weed growers used to be chased with choppers around this part of US. If they put their mind to it, they will come after even a plant.

 

[OlJawBone]

Moonshiners and weed growers used to be chased with choppers around this part of US. If they put their mind to it, they will come after even a plant.

Yeah i was gonna say i have worked on many a farm where the helicopters do a fly over and one or two where they actually land. The authorities’ ability to have a hard on for some people growing plants should not be underestimated.

 

[canadianpuffer]

Tobacco being banned and cannabis being legalized - my how the tables have turned! The Hippies won ??

 

[warren]

Australia, rightfully so, is extremely protective of indigenous flora and fauna. Perhaps that is one of the reasons they do not wish to see a foreign plant introduced into their ecology. Just "spit ballin" but, the high fines lead me to think this is so.

 

[canadianpuffer]

Australia, rightfully so, is extremely protective of indigenous flora and fauna. Perhaps that is one of the reasons they do not wish to see a foreign plant introduced into their ecology. Just "spit ballin" but, the high fines lead me to think this is so.

I’m listening to a book called “Tobacco” by Iain Gately on audible- they just covered tobacco in Australia and how the indigenous populations had their own varietals. I wonder if you could look for a loophole?

 

[mso489]

Either, making smoking expensive has lowered the incidence of smoking related health issues, thus saving the health care system bales of money, or it hasn't lowered the incidence of smoking but has been such a good revenue stream, the government can't abandon it. It would be interesting to see how it actually works, or if it is just a moral issue that satisfies the righteous without much effect on health or revenue. At those prices, I might decrease my bowl a day to one or two a week.

 

[tobefrank]

Australia, rightfully so, is extremely protective of indigenous flora and fauna. Perhaps that is one of the reasons they do not wish to see a foreign plant introduced into their ecology. Just "spit ballin" but, the high fines lead me to think this is so.

I think that is a separate issue, because we have had tobacco plantations in the past. It seems Australia has just decided to stamp out smoking altogether. Of course it's mainly focussed on cigarettes and pipes are just collateral damage.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I think that is a separate issue, because we have had tobacco plantations in the past. It seems Australia has just decided to stamp out smoking altogether. Of course it's mainly focussed on cigarettes and pipes are just collateral damage.

Spot on. unless one is genuinely growing tobacco for alternative use (ceremonial, agricultural) and can provide sufficient evidence to the state to show this, the prohibition of growing tobacco is directly related to a smoke free agenda. This coupled with increasing taxes on tobacco products, changes to importing legislation, and somewhat unregulated advertising of vape alternatives is all intended to make cigarette smokers “kick the habit”. Chewing tobacco is pretty much non-existent down under. Copenhagen is becoming more common, though the only people I know who take it have to order it from overseas. Pipe tobacco is collateral damage. Cigars are perceived as being celebratory and somewhat cultured, provided one only partakes sparingly, in which case the increase in taxes shouldn’t really impact the occasional purchase.

NZ is pretty much following Australia’s position to the letter. The only significant difference is that I can still process 5kg of homegrown leaf per year into manufactured tobacco PROVIDED it is grown on the land I live on. This means no sharing of homegrown tobacco, as well as it being technically illegal to use unmanufactured whole leaf tobacco for smoking.

the yearly personal use allowance of homegrown was decreased from 15kg to 5kg a couple of years back. the NZ government chose to keep the allowance, as it was seen from Australia’s case, that to have no exception would only increase black market supply of tobacco products.

Rant over.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

That shit shouldn't even be legal, lmao

That's what happens when you have a democracy and well over 50% decide your business is now theirs.