Credit Card Orders?

**jaewing** · 03-21-2005, 05:54 PM

I recently read a news article regarding internet tobaccos sales and the use of credit cards. The article said that the major credit card companies have collborated with the US and State governments to stop granting payment for the sales of tobacco over the internet.

The reasons for this were the proliferation of under-age smokers and the fact that many internet sites do little or nothing to verify the age of the buyer. The other reason given was the fact that internet tobacco sales have been avoiding the tobacco taxes imposed by many states.

Have any of you out there seen this story? Is this going to be a problem for all internet cigar purchases? What is the "Visa" is actually the purchaser's ATM card? Are we goping to have to go back to writing checks and mailing in an order form?

Any Comment?

**Yeagermeister** · 03-25-2005, 02:17 PM

When i was 15 years old, this is exactly how i used to get my smokes...Very unfortunate for those young smokers out there

**jaewing** · 03-25-2005, 02:28 PM

Hey Yeager . . .

Not a very helpful or responsible reply to a serious question. I do not think it is appropriate to encourage minors to smoke.

Keep replys to helpful and responsible comments.

Thanks,

**Yeagermeister** · 03-26-2005, 06:20 PM

Teen pregnancy, gun violence, suicide rates, and academic performance are all issues i find to be serious when addressing minors, and although positive correlations may exist in regards to teens who smoke and teens who get in trouble, they are just that - correlations and nothing more.

It is my opinion that, as a cigar smoker, it is completely ridiculous to attack a group of individuals that the United States government has deemed "unqualified" to use tobacco products.

As the years pass, minors are being held more and more accountable for their lives. under-age teens are in many cases working full time jobs, supporting their families or busting their asses studying to meet new academinc standards. Clearly if minors are responsible enough to handle all of this, they should be responsible enough to buy a box of cigars if they so desire.

It is my understanding that the cigarsmoker forum administators have requested that we respect each others opinions. This, my friend, is my opinion.

**hex1848** · 03-28-2005, 07:46 AM

I actually tend to lean towards freedom of choice in matters like this. Although I understand the need to protect our children from the "bad guys" out their, I believe that most of that should be the parents jobs. Bringing bureaucracy into the mix just generates more trouble for everyone involved.

That being said, as an online cigar retailer myself, I require anyone placing an order to enter their birth date. Of course anyone can lie about their age, but then it becomes forgery.

Reading some of the articles I’ve found on the subject, I think most of this falls under internet cigarette sales, which is beyond the scope of this forum.

And yes, please respect others opinions, you might not agree with what people are saying, but this isn’t the place for bad mouthing, or trash talk of any kind. I don’t think jaewing responded in an inappropriate manner however.

**jaewing** · 03-30-2005, 06:06 PM

Thanks Hex.

Yeager . . . I do respect your opinion and share it to some respects.

As for the reason of the original post . . . I wanted info on how the new regulation will affect my (and everyone elses) internet and catalog cigar purchases. Your response seemed to avoind the question . . . thats all.

As an update I recently read that some credit card companies and processors will not be taking into account the difference between cigarettes and cigars. They will merely attach this new law/policy to all tobacco products. It seems that they are taking this even farther in that they arerefusing ALL sales tendered by a retailer who engages in internet or catalog sales regardless of whether that particular refused sale was generated by either of those means.

STUPID!

We need less government not more.