Customs

[TropicalBob]

Customs stopped my E-Cig shipment today. This is a first for me.

I'm told I now must fill out a bunch of forms and my order might be delayed another week. I ordered e-Liquid but E-Cig stamped "pipe" on the box, so now customs wants to know all about the pipe inside.

I've been leaning toward this, but I am definitely going to learn how to make my own liquid.

[TropicalBob]

Just got the forms. This is going to be interesting.

I don't lie. I don't deceive. It comes back to haunt. So ...

I'm going with full disclosure of contents and intended use. The order contains five cores for cigar, a 25-pack of all flavors and a 50ml bottle of E-Liquid. For me, it cost a lot of money. I have to declare the contents and fill out a form on Toxic Substances being imported or exported. I cannot find nicotine among them. Nor propylene glycol. I believe my shipment is legal.

We're going to find out before long.

[vafvaf]

good luck TB, hope you can make it fast , it seams some more similar problems appear this days, take a look https://........../forum/viewtopic.php?t=569

[Meltrex]

Just got the forms. This is going to be interesting.

I don't lie. I don't deceive. It comes back to haunt. So ...

I'm going with full disclosure of contents and intended use. The order contains five cores for cigar, a 25-pack of all flavors and a 50ml bottle of E-Liquid. For me, it cost a lot of money. I have to declare the contents and fill out a form on Toxic Substances being imported or exported. I cannot find nicotine among them. Nor propylene glycol. I believe my shipment is legal.

We're going to find out before long.

Hey TB, I'm just curious to how this is going? Is there a custom fee involved to release your shipment or anything to that nature? I just put in a several thousand dollar order and dealing with customs is something I'm investigating just in case I run into a problems. Thanks in advance.

[TropicalBob]

Update on Customs problem: On April 14, as requested, I provided Customs a copy of the invoice of contents, the true address of the company the product was ordered from, and other stuff on forms they sent. Within hours, my shipmenet was "released."

Got a call this morning. For the first time in FedX's memory, the shipment was "unreleased."

Here's what Customs wants:

Per our conversation, US Customs and the FDA want a revised commercial invoice that shows a complete breakdown of all goods in the shipment. I am attaching a blank commercial invoice for you to complete, along with the package contents, and the manufacturers info, and the original invoice (for shipper's info) for reference.

On the revised invoice, you must write in the shippers name and foreign address and the consignee's (recipient) name and address as well. You must itemize everything that is in the shipment. Give specific description (end use, material compostion) of both items. You must also provide a $ value for both items as well. Then list the manufacturer's name and address. They also want the invoice to state that this is a "smoking cessation device". Finally, specify the currency type of the invoice. If you run out of room, feel free to make a copy of the invoice to continue.

This began with a lie by a Chinese company. And this is where lying leads. E-Cig has become aware of the "pipe PVC" fraud done by its exporter and is changing that practice after numerous posts about problems with Customs. Too late for me. My "express" order has now taken longer than delivery by turtleback from China. Here's the part we can all relate to: The ingredients in E-Liquid might stand the FDA's hair on end, and it might even be confiscated, but I can get in my car and drive two minutes to a store where I can purchase any pack of cigarettes.

[EricD]

I just ordered about 100ml of liquid from e-cig, but china air post. Hopefully it will go through just as easily as my e-cigar. I told myself when ordering, "remember to tell them NOT to mark it as a plastic pipe" in the additional shipping instructions box. Of course, I forgot. Oh dear, i will be mad if it gets stopped. TB, if you can, don't say its a smoking cessation device. Say its a smoking alternative or something. Seems like they're trying to force a label on these things. Its actually t-ing me off. Man, what is going on that a person cant get a bottle of liquid nicotine from china? Sad story... well, there's always ebay.

[TropicalBob]

I already have worked out what I'll say about that. The words you read in my post came from FedX as they were told by Customs. I will say that I use the liquid to substitute for smoking real cigarettes, as a cigarette alternative. I do plan to tell them that the company does NOT advertise these products as smoking cessation devices.

I should note that a month ago I ordered liquid and cores, and had them shipped the $9 land route. The U.S. Post Office delivered that without question. It had "Sample" stamped on the outside. Geeez. A second order with $26 "express" shipment is hung up in Alaska.

[EricD]

the irony is too thick for words on the shipping issue. Got my njoy today. I think i like the e-cigar better. Very disappointed so far.

[TropicalBob]

This simply gets worse and worse. I submitted 8 forms, detailing everything about the shipment of one bottle of E-Liquid and the sample cartridges. I had been emailed a truly complex "invoice" that the shipper was supposed to fill out. Now how do I get E-Cig's shipper to do that? They now say I can fill out the invoice that E-Cig should have filled out. Here's the latest exchange:

US Customs is requesting that the information all be submitted on an invoice. The importer (recipient) is authorized to revise the invoice in order to make entry with Customs. Please see below.

User ID . . . . . SARO Keyword . . . . .
fda referral fda hold need to provide revised invoice with better desc
c/o, mfg info name and address and also need to know end use, it is
for stop smoking device or not....saro/ftn

Please place all the information onto 1 revised invoice so that we can present it to US Customs.

IMO, the most important question here is "it is for stop smoking device or not?" I wrote that quitting smoking is not its advertised use. Frankly, I don't know what they want to hear, since I told the truth.

I'll add here two of the paragraphs I wrote Customs explaining the liquid and how it's used. I don't know how I could be clearer, or more truthful. I feel like this is "The Eve Incident" for e-smoking in the U.S.

These liquids are used for what has become known as e-smoking. It's a healthier way to "smoke." Basically, the liquid contains nicotine. That liquid is dripped into a cartridge. An e-smoking device resembling a cigarette, cigar or pipe contains the cartridge, a battery, and an atomizer. When air is drawn through the device, the atomizer heats up, creating a vapor that is then inhaled, as smoke is from a tobacco product. But here, there is no tobacco; there is no combustion. The liquid is the source of vapor, which is the source of nicotine.

Some are trying to quit smoking with this product. I myself have not smoked cigarettes since acquiring my e-cigarette, e-cigar and e-pipe. But that's not its purpose. It is an alternative to cigarettes, a way to satisfy a smoker's cravings without subjecting the smoker to all the carcinogens in smoke. The manufacturer does not call this a smoking cessation device. It's an alternative to tobacco smoking, a much healthier alternative.

[EricD]

Nicely put tropicalbob. Could not have said it better myself. Either the fda is trying to corner you into admitting it is a quit smoking device, or they already know what its for and are trying to make sure you're not trying to poison your neighbors' drinking water. BTW, you are not allowed to make lawyer jokes anymore; you're license has been revoked. That is the greatest bit of lawyering i've read in a while. Good luck with the shipment. I think you'll be getting it released soon. My liquid just left china yesterday. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing. Used the regular post. Crossing my fingers.