Are Online Cigarettes Legal?
Online Cigarettes
Purchasing cigarettes on the Internet is legal, if you are over the age of 18. It is important to know whether or not you are buying from a legitimate tobacco retailer. Several states have passed laws limiting the number of sites selling tobacco products, requiring vendors to register, and imposing penalties for unreported sales. You may also be liable for taxes if you purchase your tobacco products from a vendor outside of your home state. Buying online may be a great way to avoid these fees.
According to a study, 88 sites sold cigarette-related merchandise across the United States. The most popular items included: premium or value brands of Online cigarettes; scanned images of cigarette packs; and advertisements for specific tobacco brands. Most sites only sold cigarettes and not cigars, bidis, or electronic cigarettes. A few of these vendors offered tax-free cigarettes, as well as other gimmicks. Among the 88 sites, nearly all were located in New York, Virginia, and North Carolina. There were six vendors who could not be identified by the site.
The top three reasons people buy cigarettes online are to avoid a hefty tax bill, to avoid social stigma, and to satisfy their habit. In the study, nearly half the sites sold only cigarettes, but a full third offered special promotions and weekly/monthly specials. Some sites offered reduced prices, while other sites featured gift and reward programs. Most sites, however, were not the best at the novelty a cigarette sale entails.
Are Online Cigarettes Legal?
The most interesting thing about this study is that it uncovered a surprisingly large number of web sites that offered tobacco-related goodies. The most common strategy involved displaying scanned images of cigarette packs, advertising specific tobacco brands, and offering gift and reward programs. One third of these websites offered special promotions, weekly or monthly specials, or gifts with purchase. There were also some sites that offered duty-free Marlboros and other tax-free e-cigarettes.
The most impressive cigarette-related web site was found in North Carolina. This site was actually a part of a larger site that advertised a number of other products. This was a surprisingly large number considering the amount of competition in the Internet cigarette market. Another notable website was Amazon.com, which does not sell tobacco products, but does offer a search engine for purchasing goods.
The most important thing to remember about buying cigarettes on the Internet is that the rules of the game are quite different in each state. Some states have laws specifically designed to prevent tax evasion, while others have no regulations at all. The best advice is to contact your local regulatory agency to ensure that your purchase is compliant with the law. You may also need to pay the appropriate excise taxes if you buy from a vendor outside of your state. The most interesting fact about this study is that it uncovered 88 unique US-based Internet cigarette vendors. Most of these vendors are located in tobacco-growing states. While there are few definitive answers as to the best and worst practices for purchasing tobacco on the Internet, this study did provide a broader picture of the nuances and complexities of the industry.