US tightens ban on Cuban Cigars

**hex1848** · 10-09-2004, 06:40 AM

It looks like the US Treasury Department has tightened prohibitions on US citizens importing or even consuming Cuban cigars. Even while traveling, an American who smokes a Cuban can be fined up to 250,000 and be imprisoned for 10 years.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...fp/20041006/pl _afp/us_cuba_trade_tobacco_041006174555

I for one enjoy my Dominicans.

**ltpstudios** · 12-19-2004, 02:10 PM

WOW!

I have a good friend who recently traveled to the UK, and brought back with him, a dozen Cohiba Robustos..... Don't know how, but damn was he lucky then...

**Oblik** · 12-20-2004, 06:01 PM

Ya, bringing back Cubansis risky. The easiest way is to take off all the lables, put them in a plastic bag and simply pack them. When you get back home just put back on the lables if you really care about them that much. You can even mail the lables to yourself to be safe at customs. Just say that they are Dominican

**hex1848** · 01-12-2005, 07:25 AM

I wanted to quote the article here since the yahoo link disapeared.

US tightens ban on Cuban cigars

AFP
Thursday, October 07, 2004

WASHINGTON, (AFP) - US President George W Bush's administration has tightened a ban on Americans importing Cuban cigars.

"There is now an across-the-board ban on the importation of Cuban-origin cigars," said a notice released this week by the
Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Previously, the rules allowed Americans licenced to travel to <?:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on">Cuba</st1:country-region> to bring back to the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> up to 100 dollars' worth of Cuban goods, including cigars.

That loophole was closed in the latest regulations.
The anti-Cuban cigar rules were already strict.

For example, Americans are barred from buying a Cuban cigar in other countries, even to smoke it outside the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>.

"The question is often asked whether United States citizens or permanent resident aliens of the United States may legally purchase Cuban goods, including tobacco and alcohol products, in a third country for personal use outside the United States," the notice said. "The answer is no."

Breaking the rules can lead to criminal penalties, including fines of up to $1 million for corporations and $250,000 for individuals and up to 10 years in prison, the department said.

**Yeagermeister** · 01-17-2005, 09:09 PM

this is crazy....

**cockyhoskins** · 01-17-2005, 09:15 PM

I honestly think one of two things has to happen for the ban to lift:

1) Castro dies

2) a democrat gets in the White House.

Not saying anything about Bush as a President,however we were very close to getting the ban lifted recently after both the House and Senate had been presented a bill doing so. Then, when Cuba was up for the Humanitarian award last year, the US delegates walked out of the UN and Bush went out of his way to state that we would never have a relationship with Castro, and so on. Looks like something will have to change in one of the two administrations.

**QuietC** · 01-17-2005, 09:25 PM

I don't see how they can say that someone can't smoke one in another country. I think it'd be kind of hard for them to stop someone.

**Yeagermeister** · 01-17-2005, 09:57 PM

for heavens sake its just a stick! What business is it of anyone elses if you want to enjoy a cuban outside the U.S.? Can you imagine doing ten years in jail because you wanted to bring back some cubans for you and your friends? Sharing your cell with REAL criminals?

pathetic

**QuietC** · 01-17-2005, 10:16 PM

yeah that'd be a great convo with your cell mate, "what you in for?" "i smoked a cuban, you?" "im in for murder"

**cockyhoskins** · 01-17-2005, 10:41 PM

http://phaster.com/unpretentious/cub...legalized.html

**cockyhoskins** · 01-23-2005, 02:30 PM

Do you think once we lift the ban they will reinstate the Bacardi Bowl, once played in Havana???

http://www.sportsfansofamerica.com/L...all/College/Bo wls/Extinct1.htm

**JulesCigarQuest** · 03-09-2005, 10:21 PM

What about pre-embargo cubans?? I smoke them at a local shop......no band, most exquisite!

**allanf** · 03-10-2005, 06:57 PM

See how many products were made in The People's Republic of China....

No further comment is necessary.

**jaewing** · 03-22-2005, 01:47 PM

I honestly think one of two things has to happen for the ban to lift:

1) Castro dies

2) a democrat gets in the White House.

In reponse to that previous opinion . . . I believe it was a Democrat who instituted the embargo . . . no positive but was it Kenedy or Johnson? Please correc tme if I am wrong.

The only point I make is that the political parties have done 180 degree shifts in philosophy over the last 50 years.

Not sure if a Dem in the Whitehouse will be enough though. Castro taking a dirt nap will be a huge step in the direction of the embargo being lifted but I think that it will really depend on what happens there AFTER he dies. If they get a "Castro Jr." then nothing will change. if the U.S. can assist in implementing a Democratic Republic then the embargo will be gone within a year of that occurrence.

My 2 cents.

**less11** · 03-22-2005, 08:03 PM

It was Kennedy who instituted the ban.

**cockyhoskins** · 03-22-2005, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by jaewing

I honestly think one of two things has to happen for the ban to lift:

1) Castro dies

2) a democrat gets in the White House.

In reponse to that previous opinion . . . I believe it was a Democrat who instituted the embargo . . . no positive but was it Kenedy or Johnson? Please correc tme if I am wrong.

The only point I make is that the political parties have done 180 degree shifts in philosophy over the last 50 years.

Not sure if a Dem in the Whitehouse will be enough though. Castro taking a dirt nap will be a huge step in the direction of the embargo being lifted but I think that it will really depend on what happens there AFTER he dies. If they get a "Castro Jr." then nothing will change. if the U.S. can assist in implementing a Democratic Republic then the embargo will be gone within a year of that occurrence.

My 2 cents.

It was Kennedy. However, that was in the middle of the cold war.

**chrisboy** · 03-31-2005, 02:06 AM

i think that the US has taken it too far, and the reason behind the real embargo is already blinded by sheer arrogance and machismo. sorry. just my opinion.

**Yeagermeister** · 04-05-2005, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by chrisboy

i think that the US has taken it too far, and the reason behind the real embargo is already blinded by sheer arrogance and machismo. sorry. just my opinion.

Yea i agree..