The department of treasury considers "Cuban cigars" any cigar manufactured in Cuba or with Cuban tobacco outside Cuba. Do not confuse with Cuban seed cigars produced from tobacco grown and harvested in a third country from Cuban seeds. These are not considered Cuban products. Selling Cuban cigars in the US remains illegal. However, you can bring back Cuban cigars from Cuba or third-party countries to the US. For additional information on Cuba trade sanctions, please click here.[1]
Penalties for Importing or Selling
The penalty for importing Cuban cigars is up to $250,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. The new rules allow travelers to Cuba to bring back $400 worth of goods, $100 of which can be cigars and alcohol.
Kennedy established a trade embargo against Cuba which seized assets in 1959. This was to sanction Fidel Castro’s communist regime. How do you know a real Cuban cigar? A real one burns gray or salt-and-pepper ash. Bright, white ash signals non-Cuban tobacco. Personal use means for yourself or a small gift.
A big factor in the flavor of a cigar is the terroir where the tobacco is grown. Cuban soil was traditionally rich in nutrients, particularly magnesium, calcium and iron. These elements worked to create a sweet tobacco.
Today Cuban cigars are still sold globally. US citizens have easier access than ever before, although counterfeit Cuban cigars are rampant. Contrary to popular belief it is illegal for a US citizen to purchase Cuban cigars anywhere, not just in the US.
Selling Cuban cigars or cigar boxes in the US remains illegal. You can’t buy them at online stores in America. However, you can bring back Cuban cigars from Cuba or third-party countries to the US. For additional information on Cuba trade sanctions, please click here.[1]
The penalty for importing Cuban cigars is up to $250,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. Under the new rules, travelers to Cuba can bring back $400 worth of goods, $100 of which can be cigars and alcohol. Despite restrictions lifted on Cuban import numbers, selling imported Cuban cigars in the US remains prohibited. Kennedy established a trade embargo against Cuba to sanction Fidel Castro’s communist regime, which seized assets in 1959. Online purchases and orders of Cuban tobacco remain illegal. The department of treasury considers "Cuban cigars" any cigar manufactured in Cuba or with Cuban tobacco outside Cuba.