The latest word on Australia...

[slimjim30]

Hi all

I SNUSed for 18 months 2010-2011 and really enjoyed it. I gave up because, well, it seemed a good idea at the time.

During that time I regularly ordered rolls of General from buysnus and they shipped it 5-6 cans at a time. No worries, 7-9 days door to door and no customs or duty to pay.

I had a hankering recently and ordered 2 rolls. That was 3 weeks ago. SO far I've received 2 letters from customs for $80-$90 for 5 or 6 cans. Highway robbery!! I paid them 5 days ago and still no SNUS!!

So on to my questions.

1. What has happened since 2011? Do customs pick up all of them now? At $16 tax per can it'd be cheaper to smoke. Any tips for getting it through? Is this the new normal or some sort of temporary crack down?
2. It appears it'll be a month or so between ordering and delivery. Will my SNUS last that long? I've never had SNUS out of the fridge for more than 1-2 weeks before.

Thank you!

JIM

[Twistie]

Customs have been paying extra attention my nuuska since I came back from holidays in July when I ordered some Ettan and got hammered. Albeit the odd letter here and there, it seems to be every letter will be intercepted by the rum corps.

Don't know if it'll be permanent and we all hope it won't be, but realistically, since the taxes are so high and are only going higher each year with a 12.5% plus wage index scheme over the next 2 or 3 years, then it has probably become a highly lucrative revenue stream for customs to investigate more thoroughly parcels coming in from the north. A great source of revenue for Hockey/Abbot et al to fund the war efforts and line their coffers with.

It still is marginally cheaper for me to use snus since I don't use a can a day, whereas I did smoke a pack a day. But still, paying over $20 a tin is getting to be an expensive habit. What can you do but cut down a bit and not chain snus like the good ol days.

Your snus will be okay after a month, won't be in it's optimal state but it can be rehydrated if it's a little on the dry side. Think my last order from buysnus took over 33days. Once you pay the customs bill it should arrive in your letterbox in about 7 days.

You can try different retailers and smaller amounts to try and sneak through but expect that it'll be snatched by the rum corp, for the immediate future anyway.

[slimjim30]

Thanks for the reply. I lodged a complaint with customs and they miraculously found all my SNUS that was waiting to be processed and emailed the invoices to me. So at least that's got the payment side out of the way. I'm actually happily surprised that my complaint got some action. I thought it was going to disappear into a black hole (or I'd get a precanned letter).

It doesn't help the fact that correspondence and released packages from them are taking ~2 weeks to get here. I still haven't got my SNUS I paid for on the 15th, and considering it's now Friday night, the 27th is the earliest I could expect it. I just received a letter dated 10 October from them today.

I'm happy I put in a UPS order with BUYSNUS to tide me over. That'll be here next Wednesday and at the rate we're going none of the other packages (that I ordered in September) will be here by then.

You know I could get over the tax/duty if only they could improve the process of charging it. Holding stuff up for >1 month is unacceptable.

[slimjim30]

Well I'm still waiting 12 days after paying my duties for the first package. Sadly. 28 days and counting on that one. I ordered an express shipped package of 2 rolls which arrived today, so I'm SNUSing now. General Classic Licorice. Very nice. Fresh too, as it took 5 days to get here including a weekend.

Whenever these other packages arrive I'll have oodles of SNUS, but right now I'm still worried it's lost after paying $320 worth of tax.

I had almost forgot how good SNUS is. I am happy as with this portion under my lip Tastes delicious and feels good.

[Ansel]

look it's ok to use marijuana in australia but it is illegal. tobacco is not ok and is demonised in australia but cigarettes are legal i believe.

[Burnsey]

look it's ok to use marijuana in australia but it is illegal. tobacco is not ok and is demonised in australia but cigarettes are legal i believe.

So, what's wrong with this picture......and no guns, as well....

[Ansel]

how do i know!

[Ansel]

i agree burnsey but the op can't get their snus easily.

[alopezg1]

hardcore pornography is also illegal throughout the entire country ... except for one state .... That's the strangest one I've heard thus far ....

[slimjim30]

Hardcore porn is illegal to sell in all but one territory. Although it can be found in porn stores in all those other states. They're occasionally raided.

It's not illegal to own anywhere though, well not the normal stuff anyway.

With the Internet it kind of doesn't matter though so there's no impetus to change the law I guess.

Marijuana isn't legal but in some states it's decriminalised. It's not really considered 'ok' to do though, even if a lot of people do it.

Cigarettes are the devils spawn and cost a fortune. Around $25 a pack in some stores.

Forget buying a gun.

Snus in quantities of 5 cans or less wasn't taxed until a few months back. Although this is because a blind eye was turned, not because they couldn't. Now I've discovered the systems are not set up to handle the volume of parcels they're taxing and if something gets held it can take forever to come through.

Hopefully other Australians considering ordering Snus will get some use from this thread anyway.

[AussieBoosh]

Damn, was just about to put in my first order from Northerner.com Only just recently looked into ordering some after living in Norway for three years.

So even if I just order 5 cans I will get taxed?

[spinyeel]

I don't like what's happening at present,but I would rather keep using Snus,which I really enjoy,rather than go cold turkey,or buy ridiculously priced chemical sticks.

[spinyeel]

Damn, was just about to put in my first order from Northerner.com Only just recently looked into ordering some after living in Norway for three years.

So even if I just order 5 cans I will get taxed?

It will,more than likely be seized by Customs,unfortunately.