Tobacco Tax/Australia

[Corndog]

Always hate to hear things like this. Times like these I'm thankful for my decent cellar.

Growing it should be easy enough. Processing, curing, and the whole art of getting into a pipe for an enjoyable smoking experience is the key.

[VDL_PIPER]

This is a travesty! What's available to buy inside of the country, Paul? Would it be possible to grow your own tobacco?

Russ, growing your own has really heavy penalties, I'm pretty sure its $100's of thousands of dollars fine and jail time for growing or possession of seeds. With regard to whats available, well its limited. We only have 2 reputable tobacconist in the whole country now that I'm aware of, both in Melbourne and the tax added to the product plus a margin makes holding stock a very costly exercise I would think.

[VDL_PIPER]

And I thought I had it bad here with the choice of baccy available. Now I don't feel so bad after seeing this.
Seem to remember you have some very strict alcohol laws as well? What's going on?

Haha Crawford, don't think any where is like Australia on tobacco. Alcohol is slowly being taxed higher but its done on alcohol volume. So I have read where the micro breweries making really good beer and spirits are being taxed to oblivion because their products have higher alcohol content.

[VDL_PIPER]

Always hate to hear things like this. Times like these I'm thankful for my decent cellar.

Growing it should be easy enough. Processing, curing, and the whole art of getting into a pipe for an enjoyable smoking experience is the key.

Cellaring is the key Corndog, I wished mine was deeper but more importantly to others, fill it up whilst you can!

[Shaunc]

And the new laws came in a few days ago. Anyone caught importing tobacco by mail risks a possible 10years prison sentence.
Unbelievable from a pipe smoker to a criminal with the stroke of a pen.

[VDL_PIPER]

Hey Shaun, yes its getting tough. They are legalising drugs and criminalising simple pleasures!!

[etecjon]

Sorry for the language use but, that's fucking crazy!!!!!!


Jon

[McGyver]

So let me get this straight...If you go to say, Joe's tobacco and plumbing shop online, order a pound (or what have you) of pipe tobacco, and they ship it to you in Australia via mail (be it postal, UPS, FedEx, or any other shipping service), you could be found guilty of importing tobacco and sentenced to PRISON for up to 10 years?

Are your politicians importing other smoke-able substances and hot-boxing Parliament? And I thought only our politicians were certifiable.

I do feel for you guys. So basically, you can only get pipe tobacco (or what have you) either from a B&M store, or it has to be purchased from an online store that is IN Australia and has already imported that tobacco. That way, they can then pass the taxes along to the customer, along with any other fees they deem necessary. Or is it strictly a "You have to go the the shop and purchase what they have available" type thing?

Either way, it bloody sucks.

[Shaunc]

So let me get this straight...If you go to say, Joe's tobacco and plumbing shop online, order a pound (or what have you) of pipe tobacco, and they ship it to you in Australia via mail (be it postal, UPS, FedEx, or any other shipping service), you could be found guilty of importing tobacco and sentenced to PRISON for up to 10 years?

Are your politicians importing other smoke-able substances and hot-boxing Parliament? And I thought only our politicians were certifiable.

I do feel for you guys. So basically, you can only get pipe tobacco (or what have you) either from a B&M store, or it has to be purchased from an online store that is IN Australia and has already imported that tobacco. That way, they can then pass the taxes along to the customer, along with any other fees they deem necessary. Or is it strictly a "You have to go the the shop and purchase what they have available" type thing?

Either way, it bloody sucks.

Yeah, that's correct. You either buy from a B&M, the one that's closest to me stocks erinmore flake and macbarens mixture and in all honesty that's probably the only 2 decent tobaccoss available to me at about $AUD80/50 gram. There's a better choice available online that sell for about the same price but you have to factor post into the equation.
It's bloody disgusting and talking about it just makes me angry and upset. I know that all you blokes mean well but whinging and bitching about it on this forum won't change anything and it's only going to take the enjoyment out of your pipes.