Here is a thought: why not send the cigars ups or dhl and then send the lighter by itself pp that way the cigars don't get dried out nor bounced around? I am not sure if the buyer would have any other items shipped at the same time but this way seems better for the cigars.

Why doesn't CigarBid do what other internet/mail order cigar sellers are now doing regarding shipping lighters? The lighters are tested and then DRAINED at the factory. The lighters are then shipped EMPTY, eliminating any shipping concerns or delays.

As Roger stated above ... "It is really irrelevant if the lighter is full, partially filled or empty. There is always a chance there will be a trace of butane which instantly changes the classification of the lighter from empty to full."

I'm not sure if the factory claiming they are empty is enough to comply with the regulations, or if the other companies are just taking on that risk ...

From a competitors new catalog..."Dear valued customer, We finally got a breakthrough regarding the lighter situation. Rather than bog you down with the bureaucratic details, suffice to say that the total confusion regarding the real laws have been clarified and we are now able to ship and sell lighters. The only difference is the lighters must ship empty. Anything we are selling has been tested by the manufacturer, drained and then shipped to us. With every lighter we sell, we include the manufacturers name, address, and shipping information so that in the event of a problem, you will deal directly with them...Now that the matter is cleared up with lighters, you will see more and more of lighters back in our catalog pages." Sounds clear to me to me that they did their homework...And found a way to comply with the law. It also seems that the lighter manufacturers, who obviously have a vested interest in this, have done their part as well. And BTW Slim, it seems that a bit of a vacuum would empty any lighter resevoir of any butane. But I'll leave that to the experts....Tim

Just to clarify my previous remarks, when I referred to the shipper I meant the shipping company. Since the contents of a package is declared, as long as the lighter is listed in the contents window on the shipping bill or invoice, then it becomes the responsibility of the shipping company to make sure the package "never leaves the ground." Therefore, if Cigarbid.com sends a package "UPS ground" and lists a lighter as part or all of the package's contents, then its up to UPS to make sure the package in fact stays on the ground.

How about this: we now all know Cigar Bid's policy. They've created it for a reason. If you don't like it, don't buy a lighter from here. If you do buy a lighter from here, understand that Cigar Bid has a set policy that they follow.

Its as simple as that.

Hey Ryan...Using your logic then, if a CigarBid customer also buys a "package deal" or "special" that includes a lighter with the cigars, the customer should figure on waiting for 2-3 weeks because this is CigarBid's policy, or not buy it at all? Doesn't matter to me,(I get my deliveries in a couple days), but it should matter a lot to the customers in California or Washington who would have to wait. Those same customers are a huge amount of CigarBid's regular customers.

If you're interested in a package deal, and there is a lighter included, that should be part of your decision to bid.

Just my thoughts.

So in other words if we want to buy a package deal that has a lighter in it and don't want to wait then we should go to another site that don't mind shipping UPS Ground? I have received lighters from two sites by UPS Ground one of which I can name here CI,Felipe Gregorio Fat Boy Combo HUMIDOR & 9 CIGARS (reg.$76.20) it comes with a triple jet lighter and was shipped with the rest UPS Ground. I am wondering would shipping the lighter pp and the gars ups work?