Saga of Tobacco cost: Manitoba

[Singed]

I wanted you all to get a breakdown of the difference between cost of tobacco in local shops vs. international orders for me in Winnipeg, MB, CAN. Some of you have been following my WAYS posts and commiserating with me about my latest US order and I thought I should show you why I go to the trouble.It goes without saying that we have nowhere near the selection you have in the US.

All figures in Canadian dollars.
On average, tobacco, whether tinned or bulk, available through local tobacconists run at$1.00 per g ($32.00/oz), inc. taxes .
I recently ordered 32 oz of bulk tobacco from the US. Buying it here would cost me roughly $1024.00, inc. taxes.
My cost from the US total, inc. exchange and tariffs: $401.65.

Tobacco & Shipping: $169.51
Customs: $237.14

Delivery usually arrives within 10 business days of an order for me using USPS. I cheaped out and went with UPS: Mail Innovations to save eight bucks, give or take.. I'll never do that again.

Please forgive my impatience in WAYS the last few days, but now you know what a difference it makes to me. My budget for tobacco, for a simple luxury, goes more than twice as far ordering over the border.

 

[D.L.Ruth]

Damn, that is an insane price difference

 

[user 6274]

I know your hurt, buddy. In Newfoundland it's $55 for a 50g pouch (not even a tin) plus, of course, HST. So, let's call it $60 in total. So, yeah, like you, I have to order outside the country because I can't even order tobacco from another province. And why should I when we get ripped off? It's not the shops' fault but the reality is, my name ain't Rockefeller...

Now, I don't mean to be a smart ***, but an oz is 28g. So your cost is $28 per oz or $50 per 50g tin, if I follow you.

Therefore, your 2lbs of tobacco purchased in Canada would have cost you $896.

Needless to say, even if less than your figure, it's a lot of mullah, Abdullah.

Therefore, yes indeed, it's a good thing we can order tobacco outside of Canada.

 

[Singed]

I appreciate the conversion correction Davy, neither my arithmetic or my memory are what they were. My conversion was based, with some margin of memory error , on fluid conversion rates. 1 imperial ounce of fluid is slightly less than 34 ml, and 1 US oz is slightly under 30 ml. For years I have been using 32 ml as an average btw the two. My reasoning was that 1 ml of water = 1 g, basic standard for metric. I learned the metric system when it was adopted in Canada, I was about ten. I should have checked my figures because we were converting both Imperial and American units for everything. Makes me wonder how much I've screwed up in the last 40+ years.

Notwithstanding, I do appreciate the correction, thank-you. I also appreciate the commiseration, it's nice to know someone else understands the situation in all its aspects.

 

[user 6274]

I appreciate the conversion correction Davy, neither my arithmetic or my memory are what they were. My conversion was based, with some margin of memory error , on fluid conversion rates. 1 imperial ounce of fluid is slightly less than 34 ml, and 1 US oz is slightly under 30 ml. For years I have been using 32 ml as an average btw the two. My reasoning was that 1 ml of water = 1 g, basic standard for metric. I learned the metric system when it was adopted in Canada, I was about ten. I should have checked my figures because we were converting both Imperial and American units for everything. Makes me wonder how much I've screwed up in the last 40+ years.

Notwithstanding, I do appreciate the correction, thank-you. I also appreciate the commiseration, it's nice to know someone else understands the situation in all its aspects.

Hey, no sweat, bud.
I was sucked into the metric system conversion as well as a teenager and that was not, and still isn't today, obvious to me. I am Imperial system all the way, it's what I've learned and truly understand.
I'm constantly trying to convert any metric figure into the Imperial system.
28ml means doh to me; an oz of booze, hell, yeah.
You weight 90.7kg = doh, say what?
You weight 200lbs = right, I get it.

 

[Swede]

I wanted you all to get a breakdown of the difference between cost of tobacco in local shops vs. international orders for me in Winnipeg, MB, CAN. Some of you have been following my WAYS posts and commiserating with me about my latest US order and I thought I should show you why I go to the trouble.It goes without saying that we have nowhere near the selection you have in the US.

All figures in Canadian dollars.
On average, tobacco, whether tinned or bulk, available through local tobacconists run at$1.00 per g ($32.00/oz), inc. taxes .
I recently ordered 32 oz of bulk tobacco from the US. Buying it here would cost me roughly $1024.00, inc. taxes.
My cost from the US total, inc. exchange and tariffs: $401.65.

Tobacco & Shipping: $169.51
Customs: $237.14

Delivery usually arrives within 10 business days of an order for me using USPS. I cheaped out and went with UPS: Mail Innovations to save eight bucks, give or take.. I'll never do that again.

Please forgive my impatience in WAYS the last few days, but now you know what a difference it makes to me. My budget for tobacco, for a simple luxury, goes more than twice as far ordering over the border.

That's what looks like a punitive tax/customs charge. Do they punish people for purchasing liquor at a similar rate? Sorry you have to put up with that. FWIW, I've heard Daughters and Ryan blends are pretty dry, so you get more tobacco and less water.

 

[Ranger107]

That's what looks like a punitive tax/customs charge. Do they punish people for purchasing liquor at a similar rate? Sorry you have to put up with that. FWIW, I've heard Daughters and Ryan blends are pretty dry, so you get more tobacco and less water.

I feel for you guys. I think tobacco here is expensive but still doable. I ain't Rockefeller either. I hate to say it but if I had to pay what you guys do for tobacco I would give up the habit.

 

[Swede]

I feel for you guys. I think tobacco here is expensive but still doable. I ain't Rockefeller either. I hate to say it but if I had to pay what you guys do for tobacco I would give up the habit.

I guess at least we could grow our own, but it would be rougher than store bought.

 

[Singed]

That's what looks like a punitive tax/customs charge. Do they punish people for purchasing liquor at a similar rate? Sorry you have to put up with that. FWIW, I've heard Daughters and Ryan blends are pretty dry, so you get more tobacco and less water.

Alcohol is taxed in a similar fashion, yes. As is fuel, even though we have the means in Canada to self-supply. It is what it is, I see no change coming without armed insurrection. Our governments have been in significant ethical decline since the 80's, too much lobbyist pandering and such. I'll stop there because we cannot solve the problem online. Yes, we have punitive taxation.

 

[Singed]

I feel for you guys. I think tobacco here is expensive but still doable. I ain't Rockefeller either. I hate to say it but if I had to pay what you guys do for tobacco I would give up the habit.

I did. But My life is more enjoyable with it so I put my Honda Rebel up on blocks. It's 15% of its value each year to insure because we have a public insurance monopoly for vehicle registration in Manitoba. Another topic I don't want to address at length. It is what it is. Immigrating to the United States becomes more appealing to more Canadians with every passing year.

 

[AlphaWarrior]

I did. But My life is more enjoyable with it so I put my Honda Rebel up on blocks. It's 15% of its value each year to insure because we have a public insurance monopoly for vehicle registration in Manitoba. Another topic I don't want to address at length. It is what it is. Immigrating to the United States becomes more appealing to more Canadians with every passing year.

 

[Toth]

1 single 50g tin of decent pipe tobacco here in New Zealand is almost 200$... so it would cost me almost 4,000$ to buy 1 kilo of tobacco, and it is wildly illegal to import any... there is 1 tobacconist in the country.... it's insane, it's cruel and it's unjust. We are not even allowed to see the makers marks and patterns on the tins/pouches ect. And there is 0 decrease in price with buying multiples. Yet it's pretty hard to move off an island at the bottom of the world
It's awful...

 

[Singed]

1 single 50g tin of decent pipe tobacco here in New Zealand is almost 200$... so it would cost me almost 4,000$ to buy 1 kilo of tobacco, and it is wildly illegal to import any... there is 1 tobacconist in the country.... it's insane, it's cruel and it's unjust. We are not even allowed to see the makers marks and patterns on the tins/pouches ect. And there is 0 decrease in price with buying multiples. Yet it's pretty hard to move off an island at the bottom of the world
It's awful...

I have read a few threads on other sites about your taxation issues in NZ. It would drive me to stop. As unfair as I think things are here in Canada, your situation is even more unacceptable. I'll keep you in mind and be thankful for what I have Toth.

 

[Ranger107]

I did. But My life is more enjoyable with it so I put my Honda Rebel up on blocks. It's 15% of its value each year to insure because we have a public insurance monopoly for vehicle registration in Manitoba. Another topic I don't want to address at length. It is what it is. Immigrating to the United States becomes more appealing to more Canadians with every passing year.

Wow, 15% if value? So my 2014 HD Street Glide would cost me approximately $2200 to insure? That's insane. I ***** about paying $320 annually here.

 

[Ranger107]

Wow, I should feel blessed. I can still buy a 14 oz tub of SWR at the local Indian Tribe smoke shop for about $28. A 14 oz bag of Smokers Pride black cav is maybe $15 at P&C. Bulk McBaren ODF is maybe $4 an oz. So for less than $45 I can blend up a lb. of my Urban Cowboy. Guess our govt hasn't gotten as crazy as you guys, but we do seem to be heading that way. Hope it changes with the next election.

 

[Swede]

I did. But My life is more enjoyable with it so I put my Honda Rebel up on blocks. It's 15% of its value each year to insure because we have a public insurance monopoly for vehicle registration in Manitoba. Another topic I don't want to address at length. It is what it is. Immigrating to the United States becomes more appealing to more Canadians with every passing year.

If I could help you get cheaper tobacco, I would. There are some still good areas in the USA. I'm sure you'd be welcomed. I think the more rural the better, but that's just me.

 

[Singed]

@Swede I appreciate your generosity, but it is my vice to shoulder. If I do move it will be to a rural setting, here or elsewhere, I can't say I have ever fit a cosmopolitan mindset.

 

[Timbo]

Nasty HR but as Toth pointed out, we're at the sharp end of the pineapple here in the antipodes.

A 50gm tin will set you back $160 AUD and I know of one pipe tobacco tobacconist in Australia too.

Nasty, nasty taxes as the poor guy only makes a few bucks off each tin.

Thank heavens for imports from the US.

 

[Swede]

@Swede I appreciate your generosity, but it is my vice to shoulder. If I do move it will be to a rural setting, here or elsewhere, I can't say I have ever fit a cosmopolitan mindset.

You bet @HRPufnstuf FWIW, I've seen some pretty active websites devoted to growing and processing your own tobacco. I live in a tobacco growing area, and grew it. With some info on casing and even flavoring if you want it, I think one could get an acceptable homegrown blend. I smoke some right off the barn floor and it is stout but passable.

 

[Toth]

I have read a few threads on other sites about your taxation issues in NZ. It would drive me to stop. As unfair as I think things are here in Canada, your situation is even more unacceptable. I'll keep you in mind and be thankful for what I have Toth.

Yeah it's really sad, misguided and unfair. However maybe I appreciate my pipes more than I would otherwise... I'm honestly not sure.
I refuse to let that freedom die, there aren't many pipe smokers here and it might actually become illegal all together if we don't "represent". It just hurts the pocket something fierce.
Thanks! Any time I can help people appreciate what they have, I consider a win. Have a bowl and remember as bad as things are/feel, we are still soo lucky. Tobacco may be one of the most demonized things in this country, but I still smoke. I would rather enjoy life and be as healthy as I can, rather than trying to live to other people's standards. Thanks for the "shout out" and have a good day/afternoon/evening/night/ morning