Betty asks…
I have read on the HMRC web site that the product is not taxable until it is in a state that is ready to be smoked – i.e. shredded. Does that mean i can legally: buy the seeds, grow the plant, harvest and cure the leaves and then sell it? if the buyer then shreds it to be smoked, i guess it would be their responsibility to pay the tax wouldn’t it? Does anyone have any experience of this? Thanks.
You’ve misunderstood the rules a little. By drying and curing the leaves, you convert them into a condition in which they may be smoked and they become taxable. If it was that easy to avoid the tax, then hand rolling tobacco would be sold as the bare leaves with the option to shred them according to personal preference. Using your interpretation, even hand-rolling ‘baccy would be exempt as you can’t smoke it without rolling it into a cigarette or stuffing it into a pipe.
If you give away prepared tobacco leaves then you still have to pay the tax. If you grow and prepare solely for your own consumption, then within limits, you don’t have any tax liability. If you sell the prepared leaves then not only do you have to pay tax, but you have to accord with the strict rules regarding advertising, sales restrictions and package labelling, including mandatory health information and warnings.
Carol asks…
Are there any actions in the fine tobacco product industry that we should be aware of?
It seems harmless enough, but with those vegans, you’d be surprised…Some of the flavorings for the small percentage of tobacco products that are flavored might be of some concern, maybe?
Vegans are generally health freaks and so would not smoke. There’s probably all kind of chemicals in tobacco that aren’t vegan so I guess the best bet for a vegan if they want to smoke would be to buy the tobacco and roll the cigarettes themselves. Or they could grow their own tobacco. But you would think a vegan would have enough common sense not to smoke. I’m VEGETARIAN and I don’t smoke, and never have. It’s a bad habit that damages your lungs and eats up your cash and causes cancer and other diseases.
Donald asks…
I am a member of a small tribe in California and we want to know about the taxation and laws regarding growing tobacco. It would be “high mountain tobacco” and only from ceremonial consuption as it has a very high nicotine content.
Anyone in the country can grow tobacco without any government license or permission.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
]]>