Lament of the Canadian pipe smoker

[Psmith]

I’m a Canadian pipe smoker so as many are aware that means steep taxes. Prohibitively steep. Like we’re talking a pouch of Amphora goes for $65CAN which is about $50US. Insane.
It also means limited selection. At my local B&M, which is a nice classic tobacconist selling mainly cigars, they offer MacBaren, Solani, and an assortment of bulk offerings which I presume is Lane or Sutliff (maybe Stokkebye).

A month ago I took a chance and bought a few pouches of tobacco from Cup o Joes (I like tobacco in pouches). I had got lucky before when I bought a couple tins last year (Peterson’s). They arrived problem free, albeit slowly.

Well for the last 25 days I have been eagerly tracking and anticipating my 3 pouches to arrive (3 seemed modest enough to get through). Sadly and frustratingly fate was unkind. Today in my mailbox was my notice to pick up my parcel at the post office. In the “Amount Due” box was written $206.67!!! $207 of taxes for $20 of pipe tobacco. What a shame.

Paying that is not gonna happen. No explanation necessary.

I guess I will go in tomorrow and tell them to return it to Cup o Joes. And no more of that I guess.

Not sure if I should just give up pipe smoking or just shell out at my local and live with the cost.

Takes real resolve to be a Canadian pipe smoker.

 

[Bluecow]

How many head shops do you have? Here in Maine Czarina Mills and the Duma outlawed sales of tobacco by mail. (to protect the children. which I thought was the parents job.) then made not only "medicinal" marijuana legal but recreational also. So, other than chain cigarette shops, one cigar shop that carries a little pipe tobacco, there is only one tobacco shop in the state that I'm aware of. What we have now is a licensed marijuana/ CBD dispensary on every other street corner, but I have to drive 2 1/2 hours each way to get upper end pipe tobacco. Luckily I am mostly happy with OTC SRW and that's only a hour away.
Don't let the Bast.... win. Enjoy your pipes. Pay "your fair share of taxes" no matter how exorbitant, and think of all the Lay-abouts and Do-nothings that you will helping to support.

 

[Blackhorse]

What are the laws re gifts sent from other countries? Would a package be inspected and you be charged tarrifs or whatever?

 

[Psmith]

Hey Blackhorse, the thought has crossed my mind. But, I worry the sender may get in trouble for mailing tobacco across borders. I also think it will get nabbed.
I think what I gotta do is accept my situation. I guess I will begin to just buy at my local and accept the cost. I enjoy pipesmoking too much to stop.

That being so, I would do best to stop looking at sites like Cup o Joes and 4noggins who have inventories and prices I can’t partake in. It’s Amphora and MacBarens here on out I guess.

And Bluecow, yes there are 2 cannabis shops in my town that sell cheap and abundant weed. So funny the way things can go. I just wish reasonably priced pipe tobacco but alas.

 

[Swede]

I’m a Canadian pipe smoker so as many are aware that means steep taxes. Prohibitively steep. Like we’re talking a pouch of Amphora goes for $65CAN which is about $50US. Insane.
It also means limited selection. At my local B&M, which is a nice classic tobacconist selling mainly cigars, they offer MacBaren, Solani, and an assortment of bulk offerings which I presume is Lane or Sutliff (maybe Stokkebye).

A month ago I took a chance and bought a few pouches of tobacco from Cup o Joes (I like tobacco in pouches). I had got lucky before when I bought a couple tins last year (Peterson’s). They arrived problem free, albeit slowly.

Well for the last 25 days I have been eagerly tracking and anticipating my 3 pouches to arrive (3 seemed modest enough to get through). Sadly and frustratingly fate was unkind. Today in my mailbox was my notice to pick up my parcel at the post office. In the “Amount Due” box was written $206.67!!! $207 of taxes for $20 of pipe tobacco. What a shame.

Paying that is not gonna happen. No explanation necessary.

I guess I will go in tomorrow and tell them to return it to Cup o Joes. And no more of that I guess.

Not sure if I should just give up pipe smoking or just shell out at my local and live with the cost.

Takes real resolve to be a Canadian pipe smoker.

Psmith, maybe a solution to consider-growing your own. Here's a link that seems good on this. Best luck on your situation.

https://pipesmokersdens.com/forums/growing-tobacco.23/

 

[NamDoc]

I’m a Canadian pipe smoker so as many are aware that means steep taxes. Prohibitively steep. Like we’re talking a pouch of Amphora goes for $65CAN which is about $50US. Insane.
It also means limited selection. At my local B&M, which is a nice classic tobacconist selling mainly cigars, they offer MacBaren, Solani, and an assortment of bulk offerings which I presume is Lane or Sutliff (maybe Stokkebye).

A month ago I took a chance and bought a few pouches of tobacco from Cup o Joes (I like tobacco in pouches). I had got lucky before when I bought a couple tins last year (Peterson’s). They arrived problem free, albeit slowly.

Well for the last 25 days I have been eagerly tracking and anticipating my 3 pouches to arrive (3 seemed modest enough to get through). Sadly and frustratingly fate was unkind. Today in my mailbox was my notice to pick up my parcel at the post office. In the “Amount Due” box was written $206.67!!! $207 of taxes for $20 of pipe tobacco. What a shame.

Paying that is not gonna happen. No explanation necessary.

I guess I will go in tomorrow and tell them to return it to Cup o Joes. And no more of that I guess.

Not sure if I should just give up pipe smoking or just shell out at my local and live with the cost.

Takes real resolve to be a Canadian pipe smoker.

In Massachusetts USA, I can't buy ANY flavored pipe tobacco [illegal] but I have around ten[10] pot shops in my area [legal] I thank them for saving me. from harm

 

[Psmith]

Hey Swede, many a pipeful I’ve daydreamed about growing my own. Big leafy plants growing high. Then curing it and aging it. Then steaming and pressing it to make Virginia flakes that beat out Capstan and McClellands. Ahhh pipe dreams. Not even sure if it’s possible to grow tobacco in the Pacific Northwest. I’m on Vancouver Island. But Swede, in my daydreams I’ve grown and harvested many a crop, hung it in barns and smoked it in my Dunhill (okay, I don’t have one of those).

I guess my post above was me just declaring that I give up. I throw in the towel. Not pipesmoking (no way). I give up trying to dodge the Canadian taxes. Which is a pivotal moment for me actually because I spend lots of time dreaming of tobacco orders (I know you guys do too) which are all over the border.

From now on, I’m just gonna pay what are comparatively crazy prices, but is the norm in Canada. Maybe I will believe I’m donating to better drinking water on our northern native reserves. Or better schools. I assume our tax dollars get used for some good. And every tin of Plumcake or Scottish Mixture will be as revered as a bottle of Glenfiddich whisky. Treasured stuff.
And to continue on my patriotic journey I’ve decided to get a Brigham pipe, a Canadian pipe brand. Really. Think I will get myself their Mountaineer 347. From my tobacconist no less. Nice pipe! Then I can have a real Canadian moment smoking my really expensive tobacco in my Canadian pipe.

It makes for a different pipesmoking life than lots of you guys have with your bursting cellars, TAD indulgences and scoring tins of limited releases. Drool. We Canadians are forced to be conservative.

Thanks for hearing me out pipe smoking brothers. My lament and declaration. Happy smoking.

 

[Ranger107]

Wow, sucks to be you. Just kidding. Sorry for your circumstances. We had neighbors from Canada who complained about having to pay US taxes because they were not citizens but made money here. They moved back to Canada and now they are complaining about prices there, lol.

 

[WaPiper]

You know there are some members that don’t live to far from said borders depending on where your located in the Great North you could have a said get together with a member for coffee and such.