Purchasing Tobacco as an International Tourist

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience buying tobacco without a US drivers licence or I.D card?
Have attempted to buy tobacco from a few places who will not accept a Passport as a valid I.D as it cannot be scanned which is now required by Nevada law.

 

Wow I think you stumbled across an unintended consequence of that law! My only thoughts are does this apply to places that technically scan ID upon entry, but accept passports as well, like Circa or are there any general carve-outs for gaming establishments? I recall Plaza having a cigarette vending machine next to the main bathrooms near the cage.

 

The requirement is for tobacco products, not alcohol or anything else.

Passports can be scanned, just not by a standard drivers license reader due to the size. Systems exist (see, e.g., https://minordecliner.com/products/id-scanner-for-age-verification-passport-bundle), but I have a feeling that a lot of retailers just haven't caught up to the law yet. There's a good chance that places which have a lot of international visitors, like around the Strip, are likely to get it together in the near future.

 

Thanks for the info. I’m not actually a smoker myself so it’s not a huge issue. Just have friends back home who want some chew. I have only tried off strip locations so will see if somewhere on the strip has it who might accept a passport.
Surely there are a large number of tourists wanting tobacco so there must be a way.
But thanks for your help.

 

Duty free at the airport on the way home?

 

Walgreens on the strip always accepts my Canadian driver's license

 

"Candy?" "Cigarettes?"

You might try buying a few packs off the casino cigarette ladies (or gentlemen) with a good tip. Admittedly, I don't know if they even have cigarette ladies anymore.

 

I ran into this issue at the circle k, it was dissapointing to say the least. I ended up using the hotel gift shop at two separate properties and had no issues. From now on I'm just going to bring in a carton of duty free.

 

I note your friends specifically want "chew" not cigarettes - not sure if I've seen that in duty free, it won't be in a vending machine nor (?) by staff on the casino floor. Good luck!

(Ask someone else to buy? You're legal to buy, so not breaking that law - just, the stores can't accommodate your ID)

 

Some casinos still do. It usually the nicer joints and one gal for the entire floor.

IME, none of the casino gift or (if they have one) tobacco stands card. It’s more of a chain or big box store phenomenon.

 

I don't chew, so this could've changed, but I know in the past some casinos didn't sell chewing tobacco because they didn't want to encourage people chewing and spitting on the carpet.

 

If you’re buying decent amount might be worth going to the Paiute Tribal Smoke shop on North Main Street. It’s I think less than a mile from the FSE and lower prices might make the trip worth it. You can try calling to see if they'll accommodate your passport. They’ll likely one of your better options for that.


Las Vegas Paiute Tribal Smoke Shop
(702) 366-1101
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TSBtKgqjdJtQ5qZN8?g_st=ic

 

I remember the cigarette ladies at Cosmopolitan, Mandalay Bay, and IIRC Bellagio.

But I hadn't been to Vegas in a while, so I didn't want to give out any outdated information.

 

For some reason this thread popped into my mind as i saw a place selling cigarettes today, dont know anything about chewing tobacco but i went for a closer look and i noticed some round cans of copenhagen that said pouches they also had many other brand as well

The store was right by Nellies kitchen in the hallway leading to the pool at MGM Grand

 

I LOVE the old school cigarette/cigar girls in Casinos. Yes, a pack of Camels is expensive if you buy from them, around $20 +$5 tip or so...
In my experience they are still around at CET properties, Caesars, PH, Cromwell for sure.
If everything else fails El Co still has a cigarette vending machine, and it's actually fairly priced. Slightly below $10 a pack I think...

 

The irony of this is the shops that sell the devil's lettuce ONLY accept passports from international visitors, and the reason is because they can be scanned, but the clearinghouse they use for verification doesnt have international driver data (but can verify passports from any recognized country). I work with multiple ID verification systems in my secret squirrel government job, and we have a lot of machines that can do north American DL and all passports, but it's impossible to get access to driver license info from half the countries in the world. There are cheaper less complex ID verification systems that only do US drivers licenses, and those are more the norm at a gas station or grocery store. So I guess you cant buy chaw with a passport, but you can't buy drugs without one!

 

Sorry for the late reply, got back from the US a few days ago. Thanks for all your help. Didn't have any luck in Las Vegas getting any tobacco though I didn't try anywhere on the strip or the tourist areas. I managed to get some in California on the way back to Australia. So it all worked out. I was just somewhat surprised that a state such as Nevada, which relies heavily on international tourism, would implement a law such as this for tobacco but alcohol is fine.

 

Wait a minute.

Sorry to bump an old topic, but I can't buy a pack of 20 from Walmart any more as I dont have a US drivers licence?

 

As far as I know, it's not a law; it's just a lot of stores have policies to run ID through verification systems, and almost none of them can do international driver licenses, and the ones that can do passports are significantly more expensive than the ones that can only do US driver licenses, so it sounds like you will have trouble at some stores. I'd be shocked and awed if any international tourists have any trouble buying tobacco with a passport in any of the hotel gift shops or casinos. And most places dont check any ID at all for tobacco if you look 30 or 40 or over.

Edit for clarity - apparently NV has a law to verify ID as of January 2023, but that law does not say it has to be a US drivers license; it's just for stores who didnt scan IDs and then suddenly have to, the cheapest verification systems are only capable of verifying US licenses. The more expensive systems that can do passports are also acceptable under the law is what I meant, and I'd expect the casinos to have those. Like you think they dont know exactly who's in the casino?!?! Lol