USPS New Question Added

[Dr. Van Loafer]

Greetings! Curious if others have encountered or noticed that the United States Postal Service has added a new item to their line of questioning when shipping a package domestically?

Here is the scenario: I mailed via USPS a friend (we are both in the USA) some pipe tobacco blend samples. Total package weighed 4 oz. I wrapped it up in a bubble envelope and made my way over to the post office to mail first class. When I handed the fine worker the package they went through their usual mantra: “Does this package contain anything liquid, fragile, potentially hazardous, flammable, lithium batteries, or cigarettes…” I was caught off guard, never been asked if a package contained cigarettes. I said No, because uhhh it does not. But I was put off by this question as I had not encountered it before.

Have others encountered this new item being added?

 

[fireground_piper]

Cigarettes and I believe chewing tobacco have always been prohibited. Pipe tobacco and cigars are not though.

 

[ThermionicScott]

I haven't encountered that yet, but the Watch City page has a bit that it's illegal to ship cigarettes or RYO tobacco in the US. That could just mean they can't mail orders of it, but the government is probably trying to keep an eye on creative ways to accomplish that.

 

[Briar Lee]

Growing up in Humansville the one, and only outpost of the United States of America was the United States Postal Service. We all knew the best way to judge a town was to first look at the post office, because if the post office died the rest of the town was sure and certain to soon follow.

Today all the rules and regulations of the post office are online. Years ago our mothers and teachers had us memorize them.

—

Shipping Restrictions & HAZMAT - What Can You Send in the Mail?

Learn about USPS guidelines on hazardous materials (HAZMAT) or dangerous goods, what it means if an item is restricted or prohibited, and if you may ship food, batteries, alcohol, hand sanitizer, liquids, marijuana, or tobacco through the mail.

www.usps.com

Domestically Prohibited Items​

You can't send these items in the U.S. mail:

• Air Bags
• Ammunition
• Explosives
• Gasoline
• Marijuana (medical or otherwise); hemp/CBD is allowed, but restricted

Other items such as cigarettes (but not cigars) are restricted to legal age buyers.

47 Cigarettes, Smokeless Tobacco, and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems | Postal Explorer

pe.usps.com

 

[bullet08]

Why? Are they afraid of exploding cigarettes? Suddenly self combust in a mail truck? Or is it to prevent kids stealing mails to go after the evil tobacco? Maybe, Fed are afraid some tax is not being collected? I'm curious.

 

[ashdigger]

Why? Are they afraid of exploding cigarettes? Suddenly self combust in a mail truck? Or is it to prevent kids stealing mails to go after the evil tobacco? Maybe, Fed are afraid some tax is not being collected? I'm curious.

That’s exactly it. RYO has influenced everything because it’s created all kinds of loophole grief for the overlords.

Cigarettes has long been a no go on USPS shipping.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Have others encountered this new item being added?

I've been asked that one for several years now.

 

[romaso]

They want to catch people trying to avoid high cigarette taxes, shipping from low to high tax state.
Eric Garner was killed by police in NYC during his arrest for selling single cigarettes that were from another state (so they had paid the tax in another state where they were purchased, but not the NY tax).

 

[guylesss]

Nothing new. Local tax authorities in places like New York City (with punitive rates on cigarettes) set out to stop high volume Native American mail order vendors out of business.

 

[cigrmaster]

I get the " are you shipping any tobacco products question? " I also have been questioned about pipes as well. The right answer to the question is hobby crafts every time you ship anything. I don't care if it is paper, always use the same answer so it becomes second nature.

 

[Briar Lee]

I was only seven, but I remember my disappointment in seeing the first “sandwich” 1965 quarters and dimes come out that weren’t all silver.

I suppose it had to be, but I wish a buck was still silver.

I read where the greatest nation that has ever existed under the sun, is intentionally slowing down the mails.

—

The Postal Service is moving ahead with plans to implement a slower delivery standard for nearly a third of small, lightweight packages.

USPS announced Monday it will implement its new service standard for its first-class package service starting May 1.

The agency expects the new service standard will impact 32% of first-class package service volume. The new standard will allow USPS to add an extra day or two to deliver these packages and still consider them on-time.

Packages sent via first-class package service weigh less than a pound. Businesses rely on first-class package service for items that include small electronics and prescription drugs.

USPS implemented slower delivery standards for nearly 40% of first-class mail last fall.

The agency said the service standards are “delivery benchmarks” for how long customers can expect USPS to deliver different types of mail and packages, from their point of origin to their destination.

Service standards, USPS added, are not the same as percentage targets or actual measured service performance.

—-

Those of us that love this country had best demand better, faster postal service or else someday we’ll all be at the whims of the lowest bidder for the letters and packages we now take for granted.

 

[ashdigger]

They want to catch people trying to avoid high cigarette taxes, shipping from low to high tax state.
Eric Garner was killed by police in NYC during his arrest for selling single cigarettes that were from another state (so they had paid the tax in another state where they were purchased, but not the NY tax).

There’s more to the Eric Garner incident. But selling loosies shouldn’t be illegal.

 

[Dr. Van Loafer]

I get the " are you shipping any tobacco products question? " I also have been questioned about pipes as well. The right answer to the question is hobby crafts every time you ship anything. I don't care if it is paper, always use the same answer so it becomes second nature.

Ooooh very nice, I like that answer “hobby crafts”. Will absolutely use that. Thank you!

 

[unadoptedlamp]

Is there a penalty on the books for not explicitly saying what is in the package? Harris' description seems correct to me.

I have to mail things to myself in various locations that have different import rules. Sometimes, out of necessity, certain words are omitted. Hasn't ever been a problem, even when packages have been opened.

I once mailed a few cans of bear spray to a country (properly secured to prevent discharge) that treated bear spray as if it were a firearm. And you sure as shit cannot send a loaded gun through the mail to this country.

Box was opened at the border and delivered without incident. Package was labelled as "hiking supplies", which was true, but it was mostly for a potential home invasion and I liked my chances better with bear spray.

Interested to know if there is an actual penalty to pay in the U.S., because I've never heard of one elsewhere being enforced as long as it's not illegal narcotics.

Not sure anyone *really* cares, but I guess there must be examples. Hobby supplies seems like the ticket - and Jiminy Cricket might even approve.

 

[Duke of Erinmore]

Don't know about the US, but from/in the EU I have made good experiences with "second hand collectible tins".

 

[warren]

IBTL! Come on guys, telling and encouraging folks by suggesting illegal behavior is, I believe, prohibited by the rules of the site.

 

[ssjones]

I used various post offices and they all seem to randomly ask different questions. I don't recall hearing cigarettes in the past.

I attempted to ship a buddy some local beer a few month ago, via UPS. I listed the blend and the clerk asked if was beer. I said yet and she said I can't ship that product. I said, what if I hadn't listed it, she said no one would know. I went across the street to Fed-Ex, they only asked about lithium batteries or potentially dangerous and off the package went. That is risky, because if it were damaged lost, I suspect I would have rec'd no insurance coverage.

 

[Duke of Erinmore]

IBTL! Come on guys, telling and encouraging folks by suggesting illegal behavior is, I believe, prohibited by the rules of the site.

I see it as debating whether this behavior is legal or not. In my case, I only ship vintage tobacco. And noone so far could give me a solid explanation at which age a tin stops being taxable tobacco and starts being a collectible item.

When the content can no longer be smoked? That would be kind of Schrödinger's cat.

 

[fireground_piper]

Also, it should be noted that even shipment of the restricted items (cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and ENDS products) can be gifted and mailed with USPS. It is directly called out as an individual to individual exception:

473.42 Noncommercial Purposes​

Noncommercial purposes may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Covered products exchanged as gifts between individual adults. For purposes of this rule, “gifts” do not include covered products that one individual purchased for another from a third-party vendor through a mail-order transaction, or covered products included at no additional charge with other matter in accordance with a commercial transaction.

473 Mailability Exceptions | Postal Explorer

pe.usps.com

As long as you follow the proper protocols, you can pretty much send any tobacco product you'd like via USPS.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Greetings! Curious if others have encountered or noticed that the United States Postal Service has added a new item to their line of questioning when shipping a package domestically?

Here is the scenario: I mailed via USPS a friend (we are both in the USA) some pipe tobacco blend samples. Total package weighed 4 oz. I wrapped it up in a bubble envelope and made my way over to the post office to mail first class. When I handed the fine worker the package they went through their usual mantra: “Does this package contain anything liquid, fragile, potentially hazardous, flammable, lithium batteries, or cigarettes…” I was caught off guard, never been asked if a package contained cigarettes. I said No, because uhhh it does not. But I was put off by this question as I had not encountered it before.

Have others encountered this new item being added?

It’s not new.