Cancer Sticks - Well, sort of...

[VentureMan_2000]

That's interesting. I have never wanted or needed to go (to Cuba), but for some reason it irks (sp?) me that I am not allowed to: freedoms blah blah. I searched and found a way around it: like I said, I don't intend to go, but I like the idea that there is a way to go if I really wanted to.

 

In this great country of ours, you're innocent until caught. :eek:

 

Just like speeding or anything else illegal... there is always a way around the law... until you are caught.

 

Illegal is illegal now matter how you slice it. You can probably get away with it, but it is still against the law. :cool:

[TidePrideGA]

Its not illegal to buy Cuban products, including cigars.....It is illegal to bring them into the country.

 

Sorry, but that just is NOT true. It is indeed illegal for a U.S. citizen to purchase Cuban goods, including cigars, whether or not they bring them into the U.S. It is specifically prohibited even if for use OUTSIDE the U.S.

 

Go Here for Details

[Cruise Monkey]

That wasn't the thread I read, but it was along those lines...I couldn't get the OFAC bulletin you linked above to come up...can you post the link? I would be interested in seeing it.

 

How old is Castro anyway?? Wonder if I'll ever get to see Cuba in my lifetime!

The answer to the first part of your question is that Castro is 79 years old.

The answer to the second question depends on how much older you are than Castro :p

[cheshyrkat]

The answer to the first part of your question is that Castro is 79 years old.

The answer to the second question depends on how much older you are than Castro :p

 

ROTFL...Thanks for the answer! and for the record, I'm not at all older than Castro...I'll be 32 next week, so if all goes well I should outlive him by a little while! lol

[BlueHerons]

To the OP, just about anywhere outside the US you can find Cubans however, I've never had one that was as good as an Arturo Fuente.

 

As far as traveling to Cuba, it is perfectly legal to go there and spend money if you are a journalist, traveling for humanitarianism, or have family there. Also, if you are traveling for educational reasons. You just need to get permission from the state department which isn't impossible.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Since we are already somewhat off topic...

 

Is it "assumed" that once Castro passes, that these barriers will fall?

 

Is the current (and longstanding) policy actually more a matter of principle at this point... as are some other U.S. (administration) policies??? If not, what are the supposed advantages to the policy, and its goals?

 

(Thought I might get a "mini" U.S. policy / history lesson here!)

 

Tom

[cheshyrkat]

...Is it "assumed" that once Castro passes, that these barriers will fall?

 

Good question...I really couldn't even begin to try to answer it, either! I don't know enough about the technicalities to speculate. I can only wish! lol I would not mind having other (new) places open to cruise to and every time I look at places that are available I see that big old island in the middle of the water (Cuba) that blocks everything and keeps us from being able to cut across to places like Jamaica or the Caymans for shorter cruises. Just my self-centered thinking on this! :D

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Good question...I really couldn't even begin to try to answer it, either! I don't know enough about the technicalities to speculate. I can only wish! lol I would not mind having other (new) places open to cruise to and every time I look at places that are available I see that big old island in the middle of the water (Cuba) that blocks everything and keeps us from being able to cut across to places like Jamaica or the Caymans for shorter cruises. Just my self-centered thinking on this! :D

 

hey - they could build a trans-cuba canal.... think of the possibilities!

 

Tom

[cheshyrkat]

hey - they could build a trans-cuba canal.... think of the possibilities!

 

Tom

 

That would be something! There could be trans-Cuban canal crossings by ship and everything!

[BlueHerons]

Since we are already somewhat off topic...

 

Is it "assumed" that once Castro passes, that these barriers will fall?

 

Is the current (and longstanding) policy actually more a matter of principle at this point... as are some other U.S. (administration) policies??? If not, what are the supposed advantages to the policy, and its goals?

 

(Thought I might get a "mini" U.S. policy / history lesson here!)

 

Tom

 

Depends on who the new dictator would be; it is usually a close family member. My money is on the US moving in on Cuba and 'liberating' them. We already have a military installation in Cuba and the country doesn't have an infrastructure in place to handle the outing or death of its leader, ipso facto, Cuba crumbles.

 

Also a big factor is that Cuba's biggest communist ally, the Soviet Union has collapsed.

 

As for old Daddy Castro dying....please, he'll probably outlive us all:p

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Depends on who the new dictator would be; it is usually a close family member. My money is on the US moving in on Cuba and 'liberating' them. We already have a military installation in Cuba and the country doesn't have an infrastructure in place to handle the outing or death of its leader, ipso facto, Cuba crumbles.

 

Also a big factor is that Cuba's biggest communist ally, the Soviet Union has collapsed.

 

As for old Daddy Castro dying....please, he'll probably outlive us all:p

 

 

Do you know if Ponce de Leon checked Cuba for the "Fountain of Youth"... perhaps it was there...:eek:

 

Tom

[BlueHerons]

Do you know if Ponce de Leon checked Cuba for the "Fountain of Youth"... perhaps it was there...:eek:

 

Tom

 

I guess he missed!:p

[Cruise Monkey]

So I guess the answer to my OP is - yes.

 

 

Sorry, had to get that in there... :p

[Cruise Monkey]

Good question...I really couldn't even begin to try to answer it, either! I don't know enough about the technicalities to speculate...

 

Yea, I don't know enough about the technicalities to speculate, but here it goes anyways :D

My feeling is (and no, I have no sources for this) that after Fidel "expires" (as he is older than cheshyrkat as we have come to find out), communism will go by the way side, and the embargo will be dropped, thus allowing Cuba to build a trans-Cuban canal allowing us to not only to visit Cuba, but also to go right through her and get to exotic locations like the Caymans and Jamaica (although I'm not a big fan of Jamaica). And with so many visitors each year exploring every single square inch of Cuba, they will undoubtedly find the Fountain of Youth that was missed by Ponce de Leon. :p

 

 

Really though, I do think that after Castro dies, the embargo will be lifted.

[glrounds]

Sorry, but that just is NOT true. It is indeed illegal for a U.S. citizen to purchase Cuban goods, including cigars, whether or not they bring them into the U.S. It is specifically prohibited even if for use OUTSIDE the U.S.

 

Go Here for Details

 

". . . The Regulations prohibit persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States . . ."

This may apply to a government employee while on duty, BUT . . .

. . . I'm also sorry, but while in Mexico or any other Caribbean country, other than an American Protectorate (e.g. Puerto Rico), I am subject to the jurisdiction of that respective country. (they might have an arguement in international waters, however).

I also know of tobacco stores here in LA that sell real Cubans (Cuban cigars made from imported tobacco that was imported BEFORE the embargo took effect). Expensive but fantastico ! !

[TidePrideGA]

[quote name='glrounds'][I][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]". . . The Regulations prohibit persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States . . ." [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I]

[I][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000080]This may apply to a government employee while on duty, BUT . . .[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I]

[I][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]. . . I'm also sorry, but while in Mexico or any other Caribbean country, other than an American Protectorate (e.g. Puerto Rico), I am [U]subject to the jurisdiction of that respective country[/U]. (they might have an arguement in international waters, however).[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I]

[I][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000080]I also know of tobacco stores here in LA that sell real Cubans (Cuban cigars made from imported tobacco that was imported [B]BEFORE [/B]the embargo took effect). Expensive but fantastico ! ! [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/quote]

From the Treasury Department:

[I][B]The question is often asked whether United States citizens
or permanent resident aliens of the United States may
legally purchase Cuban origin goods, including tobacco and
alcohol products, in a third country for personal use
outside the United States. The answer is no.[/B][/I]

Since this law is very unlikely to be enforced as long as you don't try to import them, there's really no need for you or anyone else to be convinced that this is the law. I was just personally surprised when I was first told this and find it a point of interest. And of course you can buy Cuban tobacco that was in the country before the embargo - that's not the issue here.

[nrdsb4]

Hmm, different people insisting they are correct about whether or not it is legal to purchase cuban cigars outside of the US. Only one can be right, this is not a matter of opinion...

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

If a tree falls in a forest and there's no one there to hear it, does it make a sound? When in Rome, do as the Romans do... when NOT in Rome....:confused:

As long as it is not morally wrong, the legal issue in this case is simply a technicality!

Tom

[TidePrideGA]

[quote name='nrdsb4']Hmm, different people insisting they are correct about whether or not it is legal to purchase cuban cigars outside of the US. Only one can be right, this is not a matter of opinion...[/quote]

Well, exactly. Again, I don't suppose it really matters much since the law is highly unlikely to be enforced without an attempt to import, but since ignorance is no excuse for the law, I, for one, prefer to know.....

If one doesn't take the Treasury Department's word for it (see quote above direct from them), then I don't think one can be convinced.

[cheshyrkat]

I just find it fascinating that there is an entire country out there that we are for the most part encouraged to forget about... I do find the stuff about whether or not it is legal for me, as a US citizen, when I am out of the US, to purchase something is quite interesting too. Ah freedom! :rolleyes:

I am much more interested in finding new places to cruise to than I am in finding cigars, though! lol Just imagine the new places we could go from our Gulf ports if Cuba was an option....Or if we could just cut a little passagway through Cuba!! :p Castro's [I]gotta [/I]kick the bucket sooner rather than later. It will be an interesting day. Of course, maybe he's already dead and nobody told us. :eek: :p

[Cruise Monkey]

[quote name='cheshyrkat']...Castro's [I]gotta [/I]kick the bucket sooner rather than later...[/quote]

You can talk to the CIA, or has someone already done that??? :eek:

If I disappear, avenge my death.

[big_duck]

I for one am shocked and apalled that y'all aren't standing behind your government in it's efforts to stamp out communism. :eek:

Think I'll go smoke a Trinidad Reyes Habana while contemplating a land trip to Veradaro. :D :p

[cheshyrkat]

[quote name='big_duck']I for one am shocked and apalled that y'all aren't standing behind your government in it's efforts to stamp out communism. :eek:

Think I'll go smoke a Trinidad Reyes Habana while contemplating a land trip to Veradaro. :D :p[/quote]

You are so bad, Duck! :p

[cheshyrkat]

[quote name='Cruise Monkey']You can talk to the CIA, or has someone already done that??? :eek:

If I disappear, avenge my death.[/quote]

You have nothing to fear! If you don't post anymore I will be the first to approach the police in El Paso to tell them that "Cruise Monkey" has gone missing! :D :eek:

And if anyone notices that I go missing, please check the local psych units. Just tell them you suspect that I was admitted after calling the police trying to get them to look for a monkey on a cruise...:p

[BlueHerons]

[quote name='cheshyrkat']I just find it fascinating that there is an entire country out there that we are for the most part encouraged to forget about... :rolleyes:

. :eek: :p[/quote]


Not at all! Miami, Tampa, and Key West having thriving Cuban neighborhoods and so many of the Cuban nationalists living in South Florida cannot wait to return. We aren't encouraged to forget about Cuba and her customs but urged to monetarily boycott.