http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-4081 They spout that it is to prevent cigarette trafficking, but they slyly included all forms of tobacco, except cigars. This is terrible legislation, and must be stopped!! What can we do??
It never became law. It’s just a law to make sure that taxes are paid. With the current plate of work in front on Congress, I don’t think we have anything to worry about. Oh… what do you expect from a guy with the last name Wiener.
He he - in Danmark a “Wienerbroed” is the same as a “Danish” in American English :o)))) Mr Pastry.
in america it means hotdog (or more popularly the part of the anatomy that looks most like a sausage.)
Recent things I have been reading, is that most people are believing this is going to happen. This means shops like MrSnuff, Nicotinerush, the various snus shops, and all of the them, will be forced to close up. Creating more unemployment, and leading more people to smoke. I haven’t commented much on this, but more people who follow this, like on snuscentral are expecting this to pass. Labelling internet tobacco buyers as terrorists. I guess this means those who pass this are Mullahs. I don’t know what will happen, I’m pretty stocked on snus and snuff for a long while. I think a local shop here sells General Snus. I have often wondered what could be an alternative to tobacco snus and snuff, it seems to me tea would have some possibility, since it is a dried leaf, and while it doesn’t have nicotine in it, could it be added? but it does have caffine, which gives an effect as well. I would try a tea based snus and snuff. But it does sadden me how the USA has gone. I knew Obama was a bad idea.
Not really a comment on the quality of beliefs or any value judgement. I honestly think McCain would not have lasted long as president. I really think he would have died in office in a short amount of time. Palin would have been likely to quit. So I guess I’am turning this into a social studies class and asking who would have been or president if we didn’t get obama?
There is a similar thread on this legislation. You can search 1147 or follow this link for more on this topic. 1147 snuffhouse thread Here also is a link to the Senate committee that was looking at this legislation: Senate bill 1147Many of us on snuffhouse sent emails or letter to the members of these various committees and I urge each of you to keep your eyes on this process and take part in the democratic process by contacting your representatives about this legislation.
Well, H.R. 1676 passed the House and moved to the Senate as S. 1147. But it’s been rotting in committee since then, and they reckon maybe 11-05 they might dredge it up and take a look at it. But really, I feel even if they DID pass it, it would be about as unenforceable as prohibiting one from shaking twice. Our post office budget is stretched to the limit (hello, possible stoppage of Saturday mail), now who exactly will fund, or even vote to fund, a tobacco-sniffing machine or some special postal inspectors to ferret out tiny packages from NicRush or what have you? Plus, this is perennial legislation, one nutso or another has been trying to get this dog passed since 1997… But as many have said, it would be a politically unpopular move right now. The natives are restless in the U S of A. Jobs and housing are down, the cost of gas is up, Iraq and Afghanistan are still happening, and the last thing on anybody’s mind right now is if somebody paid their taxes on a few tins of snuff or snus. Even the most rabid anti-smoker couldn’t care less if a fellow manages to order himself a carton of Camels while ducking the tax; all he cares is that said fellow doesn’t light up around him. What the ridiculously flaccid corporate media can’t tell you is, there’s a very big current of change simmering in the average American psyche. It’s the same tough-guy/girl survival mentality that got the US through the Great Depression. We are hunkering down for a cold winter, and the last thing anybody wants to do is cut off the supplies of 'baccy. On the odd chance that S.1147 actually passes, it’ll be page-8 news, nobody will know how to enforce it, and we’ll roll merrily along…
Just had another thought. The RYO crowd struck a beautiful blow against SCHIP, for example. RYO tobacco tax shot up 2400%? No problem! Use pipe tobacco. And I don’t mean pipe tobacco. I mean “pipe” tobacco. Go to your local smokeshop and look at all the bags of “pipe” tobacco that are selling for $17.00/lb. Seems a bit, uh, uncased. And dry. And unflavored (or menthol). And ribbon or shag cut. Hehehe. I was damn near tempted to start smoking again…
This is a bad act, however, it does not make shipping tobacco illegal. My understanding from a brief read is that it makes it illegal through the US Mail (not UPS or Fedex) and requires record keeping and age verification for other common carries and the shops that use them. So this will likely make prices go up and some shops will struggle, but some mail order suppliers will continue on, I hope. Here is the address of the summary for those interested: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-1147&tab=summary
QUOTE: “I knew Obama was a bad idea.” What exactly does that have to do with the PACT Act? Obama did not write or introduce this bill. It’s been kicking around Congress since the Shrub administration. Have you seen how many Republicans are on board with this? Philip Morris USA has deep pockets. Hence the “bipartisan” support. BTW, McCain himself has voted in Philip Morris’ favor on the FDA issue. Do you honestly think he’s going to vote against this when it comes to the Senate floor (which will probably be sooner rather than later)? Any doubt that he would not sign this if he were president? QUOTE: " My understanding from a brief read is that it makes it illegal through the US Mail (not UPS or Fedex)…" Well, UPS, FedEx and DHL have already publicly declared that they will “voluntarily” comply with the PACT Act, should it pass. It’s a lousy bill, but then so was the Patriot Act, and we’re still stuck with its catastrophic consequences. I wish I could feel optimistic that this will fail, but given the manner in which it sailed through the House, I am quite pessimistic.
You as a citizen of the Union of Amerikan Socialist States I find this kind of talk insulting and ignorant. This has absolutley nothing to do with socialism.
_Union of Amerikan Socialist States_Sounds like an attempt to turn USA into USSR. Not only an epic fail, but un-American. FAIL
I understand the insinuation. The USSR was never socialist either, though they claimed to be. I would prefer that we kept this disucssion on-topic and not digress into political mudslinging.
@Xander: Thanks, you are correct. But it takes some dealing with that matter to find out. A work some people let the media do for themselves. Ok, some thoughts on this (and I hope you don´t mind the lack of proper english). Yes, the role of the Philip Morris company is, unfortunately, a very sad one. They´ve supported numerous negative ideas on banning and/or hurting the position of tobacco related products. Most of these were even brought up by them. As far as I know, it´s just the same in the USA, as it is here in Europe. They want to set their #1 position in concrete. The growing markets are all in the so called 2nd and 3rd world. Nothing more to gain in the industrialized countries. As far as it concerns them, the ideal market would consist of cigarettes only and these would be Marlboro Red and Gold, although they would be in the same white non-labeled package and not on display. You´d have to take a long walk to get them, as they´d only be available at certified tobacco stores. (and no, it´s not a socialist company, be asured) We´ve had the so called “pseudo pipe tobacco” thing here, too. Went well until the amounts reached a considerable level. Then it was declared as RYO and taxed like that. Although the quality is inferior. After 2 months those brands were gone from the market completely.
The reason cigars would be exempted, is that only the well-heeled can afford them, more so every day, and it’s only the low hanging fruit that need to be inconvenienced. Cigarettes and chew have been soundly discredited, snuff is an off-the-radar eccentricity along with pipe tobacco, and is, like all nicotine use in these people’s eyes, a BAD thing. Like the alcohol temperance movement, there is no such thing as moderation in self-righteous condemnation. I have a decent amount of pipe tobacco, part of it acquired in ‘fear of the loonies hysteria,’ stocking up for Armageddon. Then, I decided not to stress about my stress reliever. If they manage to get tobacco banned, c’est la vie. I doubt it, anyway. Besides we’ll all move to California, as if they don’t already have enough trouble, and get prescriptions for medical marijuana to assuage our loses. Rather the big sticks are going to be in trying to get and keep healthcare insurance with a positive cotinine drug test. From whatever source.
@ Red Star: the way you describe Phillip Morris’ influence makes the legislation more akin to facsism. A far cry indeed from socialism. Of course its written to benefit them and guide us back to cigarettes. As to snuff being off the radar, that is indeed true. However the way the legislation is written it defines snuff to include the nasal types. This, I’m sure, is written in naiveté to be inclusive rather than as a deliberate stike. The best option at this time is to write to your senators in an attempt to educate them. The whole agenda of this bill is to recoup lost taxes from interstate/Indian reservation sales and not as a public health bill. If I have to pay tax on snuff, I’m ok with that. Suggest to your senators to either exempt nasal snuff from the bill or to allow out of state merchants to collect your state taxes for you. Also suggest that if mail order is an underage concern that ID verification process be used rather than banning mail order sales. I have a letter that I wrote posted in this thread: senate-bill-1147 that any of you may use (please do not plagarize) for your own letters. I am inclined, though, to agree with cstokes in that this bill is likely to languish in comittee forever. Most bills in the senate never even get voted on in comittee let alone reach a full senate vote.
Where I live there is no supply of snuff. If they cut off all of us in the boonies we will have to have an underground railroad of some kind.
Control, Control, Control, Who decides what is best for you? A bunch of over stuffed suits? I am tired of “corporationism” and its influence in my life… So who decides? Can I decide what is best for me?
QUOTE: “I am inclined, though, to agree with cstokes in that this bill is likely to languish in comittee forever. Most bills in the senate never even get voted on in comittee let alone reach a full senate vote.” Agree all you wish, but the fact of the matter is that S.1147 is being voted on this Thursday, November 5, 2009, at the Executive Business Meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee: http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=4157 Who knows what will happen on Thursday. It could very well languish, or it could be quickly passed onto the Senate floor. Sadly, no serious opposition is expected to transpire.