FYI. The official USPS regs on shipping tobacco products:
http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2010/pr10_060.htm
Yo can not ship cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco and smokeless tobacco, but you can ship cigars. Their reasoning must be that 16 year olds don't smoke cigars. I did when I was 15. That was back in the days when anyone could buy cigs out of a vending machine or across the counter. I quit smoking anything at 32.
The law does permit infrequent lightweight shipments by age-verified adults to recipients who are at least the age of majority for purchase of tobacco. Shipments between businesses in the tobacco industry will also be permitted, as well as cigarettes sent to consumers age 21 and above for testing or public health purposes.
Most shipments will require photo identification and age verification consistent with the minimum age requirements in the locality of destination.
With the exception of shipments entirely within Alaska and Hawaii, shipments are permitted only via Express Mail and, with the exception of shipments from the United States to APO/FPO/DPO destinations, will be delivered using “hold for pickup” service at the destination Post Office. Why is Alaska and Hawaii excluded?
This addendum was recently added after parents of soldiers/sailors bitched about it.
You can ship 10 oz of cigs, 10x in a 30 day period to APO/FPO/DPO addresses. Who came up with 10 oz? The average cig weighs 5g, 100g/pack = ~3.5 oz, so 10 oz = ~3 packs.
And as of 2005 you can not ship cigs by the major carriers, UPS, Fed-EX, and DHL (are they still a company?).
This legislation has forced many NY Seneca Indians' on-line stores out of business. NY state is also going after the Seneca Indians again to get them to pay NY cig excise taxes. That's still in litagation. NY says it will help with their 1 billion dollar state deficit. C'mon NY, start cutting your budget.
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/article188627.ecehttp://www.buffalonews.com/city/article188627.ece
There's still some Seneca on-line tobacco stores open and taking orders. They say they are using a private carrier, Pony Express?, but don't say which one.
https://www.senecasmokeshop.com/oasiscrm/Shopping.asp?Directive=ItemList&Parent=&Category=CigPre