Smoking is... good?

[Goemon_]

According to Grok there is American Spirit rolling tobacco in duty free at list in Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. Limited to 250 gr per person.

 

[worldbridger]

I found one company, so I ordered one pouch to see if it was ok. Since being bedridden my wife picks up all orders in my name, This time she couldn't, I have to pick it up myself.

We asked the company why, they said that FHM in Sweden (CDC in the US) have recently(?) committed to a "zero vision" for smoking tobacco, this "zero vision" concept started in the 90s I think for different things in our society, like no of deaths in traffic.

I makes them feel virtuous, united against evil etc. and a of course, an excuse to just do whatever they like.

 

[palestine]

Even less number of products, both in physical stores and online, that belongs to the past, even pipe tobacco. There are exclusive cigarr shops who sells it, but unbelievable prices. In general, "bulk" of anything in Sweden is scarce…life here is JIT or made for monthly purchases (they want all to be employed). The concept of Independence is heresy…."Government provides for all your needs, and we determine what you need and when you need it".

I see - a sort of fatwa on tobacco, making it barely existing out there.

Any chance for you to go to a neighbooring country (and get cheaper tobacco)? (I assume you are not since you would have told about it, but asking)

I was thinking - hey let me send you a box. Is this even possible? How much would the shipping fee cost? How does it work at the border, because it's tobacco? Box here is 24$.

 

[worldbridger]

I see - a sort of fatwa on tobacco, making it barely existing out there.

Any chance for you to go to a neighbooring country (and get cheaper tobacco)? (I assume you are not since you would have told about it, but asking)

I was thinking - hey let me send you a box. Is this even possible? How much would the shipping fee cost? How does it work at the border, because it's tobacco? Box here is 24$.

Yes, exactly. Being bedridden, so no. Don't have any friends/contacts abroad, or people travelling.

Thanks palestine, very kind of you, but I "can't" smoke the common brands, get soar throat, coughs etc, so only if I don't have any other choice. And shipping will cost 20-30 USD, and if you send it from Switzerland?, VAT, taxes, not really realistic.

My brands are American Spirit, Manitou, RAW, and a few more, but I only found one company in Sweden with one brand/product (Sauvage (france) natural/additive-free- 30g pouch), will try that first and see if it works.

In general tobacco products are disappearing in Sweden, especially RYO products.

Appreciate your concern….

 

[palestine]

Yes, exactly. Being bedridden, so no. Don't have any friends/contacts abroad, or people travelling.

Thanks palestine, very kind of you, but I "can't" smoke the common brands, get soar throat, coughs etc, so only if I don't have any other choice. And shipping will cost 20-30 USD, and if you send it from Switzerland?, VAT, taxes, not really realistic.

My brands are American Spirit, Manitou, RAW, and a few more, but I only found one company in Sweden with one brand/product (Sauvage (france) natural/additive-free- 30g pouch), will try that first and see if it works.

In general tobacco products are disappearing in Sweden, especially RYO products.

Appreciate your concern….

Hello, np, I am glad if you can find some! The Sauvage is pretty good (well, I like it much).

 

[palestine]

@worldbridger just in case - what about pipe smoking? It does not replace tobacco, but if you need to smoke... All my pipe tobacco comes from Danemark - there may be easier access for you. I am pretty sure that you thought of it, and there may be very tiny room that it wouldn't be the case - so asking!

If you are bedridden and that it costs you than to answer, don't care about that, I just wanted to tell you about the pipe smoking. I hope you will get better! Salutations.

 

[iamthatis]

Yes, exactly. Being bedridden, so no. Don't have any friends/contacts abroad, or people travelling.

Thanks palestine, very kind of you, but I "can't" smoke the common brands, get soar throat, coughs etc, so only if I don't have any other choice. And shipping will cost 20-30 USD, and if you send it from Switzerland?, VAT, taxes, not really realistic.

My brands are American Spirit, Manitou, RAW, and a few more, but I only found one company in Sweden with one brand/product (Sauvage (france) natural/additive-free- 30g pouch), will try that first and see if it works.

In general tobacco products are disappearing in Sweden, especially RYO products.

Appreciate your concern….

You could consider buying bulk tobacco leaves from Leaf Only. They ship all over the world. The last time I bought from them, the price was 90% off what I would pay for organic tobacco pouches. They can get away with this because leaves are generally considered an agricultural product, and not a value-added tobacco product.

I only stopped because my province in Canada introduced a new tax that eradicated the savings. I also started vaping - much cheaper, and now I don't have to deal with dental buildup. Vaping would be another option, perhaps?

Buying whole leaves means that you would also need to buy a shredder, but those are cheap enough and are also sold on the website. I have the little hand-crank version. It is somewhat time-consuming to shred enough for a pouch, but I found it to be worth it - I'd just put on a documentary or movie and shred away.

I don't know what shipping would cost to your country, but it is another option worth looking at. If you decide to go this route, I recommend the CDN Virginia if you enjoy a 'blonde roast' or a lighter smoke, American Virginia for medium strength, and Burley for a much stronger knock-your-socks-off experience.

If you open the box and find the product cured improperly (and unsmokable) you have 7 days to notify the company, and they will ship you a new box.

https://www.leafonly.com/tobacco-leaf-faq.php

 

[worldbridger]

You could consider buying bulk tobacco leaves from Leaf Only. They ship all over the world. The last time I bought from them, the price was 90% off what I would pay for organic tobacco pouches. They can get away with this because leaves are generally considered an agricultural product, and not a value-added tobacco product.

I only stopped because my province in Canada introduced a new tax that eradicated the savings. I also started vaping - much cheaper, and now I don't have to deal with dental buildup. Vaping would be another option, perhaps?

Buying whole leaves means that you would also need to buy a shredder, but those are cheap enough and are also sold on the website. I have the little hand-crank version. It is somewhat time-consuming to shred enough for a pouch, but I found it to be worth it - I'd just put on a documentary or movie and shred away.

I don't know what shipping would cost to your country, but it is another option worth looking at. If you decide to go this route, I recommend the CDN Virginia if you enjoy a 'blonde roast' or a lighter smoke, American Virginia for medium strength, and Burley for a much stronger knock-your-socks-off experience.

If you open the box and find the product cured improperly (and unsmokable) you have 7 days to notify the company, and they will ship you a new box.

https://www.leafonly.com/tobacco-leaf-faq.php

Yes, I looked in to it some years ago, but government closed that loophole too, same tax, VAT etc as ordinary tobacco….and I tried vape, didn't work for some reason.

I do have a shredder and plan to grow my own, but don't have the space for it, you get approx. 100 grams dried tobacco per plant, if they have medium level of nicotine, maybe 3-4 (5) months from seed to fermented/cured tobacco.

 

[Gaby]

Total vaping ban in Honk Kong. Up to 7 years imprisonment for importing it.

No person may import, promote, manufacture, sell, or possess for commercial purposes alternative smoking products, including electronic smoking products, heated tobacco products and herbal cigarettes. Starting 30 April 2026, no person may possess a specified alternative smoking product in a public place.

We remind you that they are also still prohibited.:

Iimport of the specified items (including in hand luggage and baggage)
Storage in public places.

The responsibility:

for importation — a fine of up to 2 million Hong Kong dollars or imprisonment for up to 7 years
for use in public places — a fixed fine of 3,000 Hong Kong dollars

 

[palestine]

I recently purchased a pack of Marlboro red

And I have to say it was a good smoke! I am not rich so I roll my own cigs, so industrial cigarettes are a far forgotten dream! Does anybody smoke those? They were strong enough (but perhaps too thin for me - I use to roll cigarettes with two big papers).

 

[Voyageur]

Total vaping ban in Honk Kong. Up to 7 years imprisonment for importing it.

So, just Hong Kong and not China proper. The HK public seemed to be pushing this (or the public was being pushed) even in 2017, if not before. The HK regulatory framework started to be drawn up back then.

7-years, that is one harshly insane penalty.

Here is a PubMed HK related paper on it discussing the e-smoking study:

Abstract
This study aimed to gauge the Hong Kong’s public support towards new e-cigarette regulation, and examine the associated factors of the support. We conducted a two-stage, randomized cross-sectional telephone-based survey to assess the public support towards the banning of e-cigarette promotion and advertisement, its use in smoke-free venues, the sale to people aged under 18, and regulating the sale of nicotine-free e-cigarettes. Adults (aged 15 years or above) who were never smoking (n = 1706), ex-smoking (n = 1712) or currently smoking (n = 1834) were included. Over half (57.8%) supported all the four regulations. Banning of e-cigarette promotion and advertisement (71.7%) received slightly less support than the other three regulations (banning of e-cigarette use in smoke-free venues (81.5%); banning of e-cigarette sale to minors (93.9%); sale restriction of nicotine-free e-cigarettes (80.9%)). Current smokers, and perceiving e-cigarettes as less harmful than traditional cigarettes or not knowing the harmfulness, were associated with a lower level of support. Our findings showed a strong public support for further regulation of e-cigarettes in Hong Kong. Current stringent measures on tobacco and e-cigarettes, and media reports on the harmfulness of e-cigarettes may underpin the strong support for the regulation.

Note: the study does not breathe a word about jail time.

Reminds me of the U.S. 'vap' scare of 2019 that resulted in fast regulatory enactment related to sectors, such as health/safety compensation. Arguments then could be made for lab leaks out of Fort Detrick proceeding the scare, and a cover story of blame being built.

Larry Romanoff makes note:

Did COVID-19 escape Fort Detrick vaccine trial? Evidence that virus originated in US bioweapons lab

It would be useful to read this prior article for background: China's Coronavirus: A Shocking Update. Did The Virus Originate in the US? As readers will recall from the earlier article (above), Japanese and Taiwanese epidemiologists and...

www.sott.net

The Taiwanese physician noted that in August of 2019 the US had a flurry of lung pneumonias or similar, which the Americans blamed on 'vaping' from e-cigarettes, but which, according to the scientist, the symptoms and conditions could not be explained by e-cigarettes. He said he wrote to the US officials telling them he suspected those deaths were likely due to the coronavirus. He claims his warnings were ignored.