In the credit card thread is a mention of this bill. It gives a link to a discussion at Snuson in regards to this. Google s.1147 and you will find the bill. Its a good idea to write your senator, hopefully educating them a bit. It is especially good if he/she is on the judiciary committe that gets to ammend this bill, as mine is. I will copy my letter here. Please do not plagarize me, but you may use any point I made in your own words. Be civil and truthful in your letter. Don’t rage or make things up. This will cause more harm than good. Text of letter in next post.
Dear Senator Kaufman, I am writing to you in regards to Senate Bill 1147 commonly known as 'Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act of 2009’ As it is written the bill is eminently unfair. I shall attempt to explain why. I can certainly understand the need to close loopholes which unscrupulous individuals might use to avoid paying their fair share of cigarette taxes. However, I am not particularly concerned with cigarettes. I am concerned with what the bill defines as “smokeless tobacco.” Specifically I am referring to nasal snuff. Snuff is mostly known to Americans as some form of oral tobacco which is certainly widely available. However, proper snuff is taken nasally and poses no documented danger to its user and is not widely available. The bill refers to the “nasal cavity” in terms of snuff, which is why I am concerned. Perhaps you are familiar with it as I understand the Senate still maintains communal snuffboxes due to centuries old tradition. Clearly there are health risks with oral tobaccos as evidenced by much research, though it is far less than that of cigarettes. Yet no serious health concerns have ever been shown regarding nasal snuff. If it is taxed, which is fair for a luxury item, it should be at a lower level than that of known harmful mode of tobacco. Of course the bulk of this bill is aimed at cigarette, and to a lesser degree oral tobacco, internet and mail order sales. This is fine as the consumers of these items do not have to look very far to buy them legitimately from a retailer, but to those of us who are snuff takers, we have a very difficult time finding snuffs locally. I am certainly willing to pay my share of taxes, but the way the bill is worded would make snuff nearly impossible to get. As a snuff user, and a member of the International Snuff Takers Association, we regard snuff in more of a connoisseur sense, such as fine wine, coffee, tea, chocolate, etc. There is such a wide range of snuff in the world that many of us scour the internet; networking and making friends and connections in all parts of the world in order to sample different snuffs. Thankfully there are a number of reputable online specialist retailers that are able to provide us with help in this regard. With the bill as it is, we would have no snuff (since most of us cannot get it locally, and those that can, cannot get variety) and those retailers would be out of business. The bill also would make it illegal to send tobacco through the US Postal Service, yet it specifically exempts cigars. Why is this? Are they regarded by the authors of the bill as connoisseur items also? There is no mention whatever of pipe tobacco, but it is not exempted. Every pipe smoker I know certainly regards pipe smoking as a connoisseur’s hobby. Pipe smokers do much the same as snuff takers in regards to their passions, searching for some elusive fine pipe tobacco. I expect you will hear from a few of them as well. The bill is certainly commendable in its intent, however it is far too broad in scope and will cause unintended harm to an already difficult economy and a complete end to an enjoyable and reasonably safe hobby for thousands. As I understand you are on the committee reviewing this bill, I ask you please, work to amend this bill to either specifically target cigarettes, or to exempt nasal snuff and pipe tobacco. Failing that, I would ask that you vote against it and persuade your colleagues to do the same and find another way to combat illegal cigarette sales. Thank you for your consideration and best regards, Alexander D_____
Xander, I applaud your passion. I will do the same. My only thing with the credit card thing is this… and please read it in its entirety. I was an avid online poker player for real cash. Now the congress was really wanting to pass this port act, which delt with securing our ports. A senator then at the last minute made a backroom deal and stapled onto this bill ( which was sure to pass ) the unlawful gaming act making it illegal to play online poker. What poker and port security have to do with one another is beyoond me. However, what this bill did was make it illegal for BANKING institutions and Credit Unions to ALLOW these transactions to occur. So what happened… myself and millions of others used this loop hole because those Cash Debit Cards you can buy at the gas stations for like presents and crap worked. You just load them up and is basically money thats yours without the hassle of a bank or another institution. So it worked. So we stuck it to the government by using that loop hole to get around the legality of it, and if you are caught its the BANKS fault, not yours. This bill will have its loop holes, especially the part where importing cigars is fine but all other means arent…??? Anyways we must stand up and unite and I do urge those of you in America to do as Xandar does, even if you think it will not matter.
Also check out the link ( sorry, youll have to copy paste to the browser because I suck at posting clickable links ) to find your senator. http://www.snuson.com/viewtopic.php?t=4928 Please read all thats behind it and see for yourself how screwed we COULD be. Its a very good read about the moronical happenings in the Capital while our economy is shriviling away. So many other problems but some Piece of S*** congressman thinks tobacco regulation to this degree is important right now instead of those without jobs.
Well, ok. But to me the forbidding of using the mail service is the most bone-headed part. That basically is a gift to the corporate private carriers. I didn’t see much in the bill regarding banks and credit cards. I’ll read it again tomorrow, but legalese makes my eyes blur after a couple minutes. BTW, to insert a link, make sure you are in Html mode (click the dot below your input box) then look for a menu of buttons above the input box. One looks like a globe with a chain link, second from right. Click that and you are asked to input the mail address and second request asks for a name for it.
The bad part is this bill is set for a final vote today. I have a feeling we are screwed. If this passes I will be ordering a two year supply or more of snus and snuff. Hoping that a loophole displays itself before I run out.
This is terrible - I just posted on the other thread, not knowing that the bill was being voted on today. The loophole WILL be there, you just have to find it.
I thought this wouldn`t affect smokeless.
It’s rather funny that the Govt is screwing themselves by not allowing themselves to mail tobacco, yet they whine that the Post Office is losing money. HAHA!
Has anyone seen how many bills are in front of this committee?? Have a look-see:HERE
Right, its only in comittee at this point, committees can at times drag things out. It may never even get to the senate floor for a full vote for a long time. Nonetheless, write 'em if you got 'em. It can’t hurt, right?
I don’t have a Senator on the committee, but I will write mine. Oh, and for our friend across the pond or down south, if this passes, say goodbye to sales from the US.
Yeesh. I didn’t mean to start a panic. Lots of stuff dies in committee. No need to start hoarding at this point (though a lot of us do anyway, becuase we’re nuts like that). Govtrak says its only just reffered to committee at this point. I don’t see where it says they are voting on it today. These things are slow anyway. Cstokes is right, there are a lot of bigger thinngs on this committee’s agenda at the moment (including a Constitutional ammendment!!!) so just write your letters for now. Pitchforks and torches are on hold for the moment, my Revolutionaries. We can always set up an offshore PO box right? How far a boat ride is the Bahamas from Tom?
Probably an hour at best.
When he becomes a “snuffrunner” the words nicotine rush will take on a new meaning.
Haha, LOL. I can see him doing it too. Look at what he went through for a 12pack of Levi!
LOL! “The Snuff Runner”
Well, I did my part and wrote a letter to Senator Russ Feingold who is on the committee. This bill has the potential to screw snusers too, and as I enjoy snuff and snus, I take a special interest. I have some friends on other states with committee members, and I’ll be twisting some arms.
Sorry guys, it was the FDA regulation of tobacco bill that got voted on today.
I love how they link everything to terrorist. “If you by tobacco, you are supporting al-queda.” F*in retarded. If this bill passes I’ll have to move to England so I can enjoy snuff.