[notyourregularhandle]

It's the Jenkins Act. Now, you're probably asking yourself 'what the hay is the Jenkins Act?' And I'd love to be able to tell you, but the file that contains that information is corrupted, so I'll have to get back to you on the details. The anti-smoker ordinances are not federal, only some of the taxes are. A few states, like Kookiefornia, have statewide bans, but most of the ordinances are local. The antis like it that way: it's far easier to hoodwink a few local yokels on the council than an entire state legislature.

Thanks for the info! ;)

[Max McGarrity]

Actually, what I found doesn't add a lot to what I said before (will check on Forces tomorrow to see if they have more). The Jenkins Act is a 50-year-old federal law (Title 15, United State Code, Sections 375, 376, 377, and 378) that requires cigarette vendors to report all sales to the taxing authority in the state of destination. Many of the Native American tribes consider their land sovereign and have defied the Act, as do many other retailers. It is estimated that only 15% of vendors actually report their out-of-state sales. A couple of hundred Californians got stung not long ago with enormous tax bills, sometimes based on the "suspicion" that they had bought cigarettes elsewhere without paying the state its blood money. Some paid up, many didn't. The beauty of buying loose tobacco and making my own, in addition to its very low price, is the different rate at which it's taxed. Even if I had to pay the tax (if they can PROVE I owe it), it wouldn't amount to a hill of beans. Three cartons worth of loose tobacco costs me less than $10.