How have I not seen this before?

[Eville]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/w...gars/92042662/

According to this article, "Under the new rules, which go into effect Monday, travelers can purchase unlimited quantities of Cuban rum and cigars in any country where they are sold so long as they are for personal consumption."

And just 5 months after I had to throw away more than 60 "unbanded" cigars because they wouldn't let me mail or carry them back into the country

[craig]

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfe...n-cigars-19049

And while the new ease in restrictions means that the number of personal cigars is technically unlimited, there is still an amount of duty that will have to be paid after a certain quantity is exceeded. OFAC's website points to an $800 exemption of duty every 31 days, and stresses duty-free limits of 100 cigars. According to OFAC's website: "A traveler may include up to 100 cigars and 200 cigarettes in the $800 exemption from duty... Additional cigars and cigarettes may be brought into the country, but they will be subject to duty and Federal excise taxes." Excess amounts are subject to a 4 percent flat rate of duty.

Duty-free's at every airport are going to be cleaned out.

Before you plan that trip to the Great White North, note that Canadian cigar prices are ridiculous, even with the exchange rate. For example, some sample prices for a box of Partagas Serie D #4, US dollars:

• Current price in Cuba: $175 (http://yulcigars.blogspot.ca/2012/12...-for-cuba.html)
• 'Known' Internet retailer (Swiss): $225
• Canadian 'known' Internet retailer (won't ship within Canada): $275
• Canadian 'on-reserve' price (will ship within Canada): $385
• Canadian 'duty-free' price: $525
• Canadian retail in the least-expensive province (Alberta, I think, and they can't ship to another province): $575