IMM Revision: Cigarettes, Smokeless Tobacco, and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems

Effective August 10, 2023, the Postal Service™ is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®), section 136.4, to align with section 47 in Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail, noting that Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) are prohibited in international mail.

This revision is associated with federal statutory restrictions within the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act of 2009 and the Prevent Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act (POSECCA), which was enacted on December 27, 2020, and the Federal Register notice “Treatment of E-Cigarettes in the Mail” published October 21, 2021 (86 FR 58398).

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)

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1 International Mail Services

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130 Mailability

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136 Nonmailable Goods

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[Revise the title of 136.4 to read as follows:]

136.4 Cigarettes, Smokeless Tobacco, and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems

[Revise the first sentence (adding Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems) and the second sentence (changing the reference) to read as follows:]

Cigarettes (including roll-your-own tobacco), smokeless tobacco products, and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems as defined in Publication 52, part 471 are nonmailable when sent in outbound or inbound international mail. The exceptions for mailing under Publication 52, part 473 are not available for shipments of such products in international mail. ***

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Although effective August 10, 2023, the Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the next edition of the online IMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.