# Why can't my wife post tea to the USA any more? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2019, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833 "2019-05-11T20:22:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/1 "2019-05-11T20:22:38Z")
My wife posted a gift package to her sister today (we’re in the UK), but the post clerk told her to remove the tea as it can’t be shipped to the US. This wasn’t the case before. What’s changed, and why? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2019, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/2 "2019-05-11T21:59:58Z")
Unless the rules have recently changed, I think the clerk was mistaken. There is nothing in the Post Office rules about tea and the US Customs and Border Protection says this: > [@](#): > > What are the requirements for importing coffee, tea or spices for personal use? > Tea or spices containing fruit or vegetable leaves or seeds, including citrus leaves or seeds, are typically prohibited. > > There are no restrictions on the importation of coffee, tea or spices for personal use, although they may be subject to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspections if a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer suspects contamination or insect infestation of the product. > > [https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a\_id/335/~/importing-coffee%2C-tea-or-spices-for-personal-use](https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/335/~/importing-coffee%2C-tea-or-spices-for-personal-use) ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/3 "2019-05-12T14:30:55Z")
Sounds like the problem is on the UK end not the USA receiving end. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/4 "2019-05-12T14:59:48Z")
Post office clerk a little slow on the uptake regarding the rumors that the new world cousins are up to some nonsense regarding tea. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/5 "2019-05-12T16:09:55Z")
Or he read/was told about the first part and didn’t get the information on the “for personal use” bit. ---
**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/6 "2019-05-12T16:24:21Z")
Probably thinking Boston ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/7 "2019-05-12T16:43:00Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Or he read/was told about the first part and didn’t get the information on the “for personal use” bit. The entire answer is regarding personal use. But perhaps the tea the OP’s wife is shipping contains fruit or vegetable leaves (other than _Camellia sinensis_ leaves) or seeds ( like some herbal teas) , or maybe the clerk just isn’t sure whether it does or not. Or he just doesn’t know what he’s talking about - which is always possible. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/8 "2019-05-12T17:15:05Z")
The first line says, bold mine: > [@](#): > > Tea or spices containing fruit or vegetable leaves or seeds, including citrus leaves or seeds, **are typically prohibited.** I interpret the second line as being a clarification indicating that the “typical prohibition” does not apply when those teas are imported for personal use. Sending items for personal use and having Customs or the Post treat them as if they were a commercial shipment is a frequent headache for expats. You can’t import alcohol (or a lot of foods, or clothes, or electronics) without paying taxes… except for small amounts for personal use, but ship them and suddenly you’re asked what’s the thread count in your used T-shirts (I have no idea, officer). ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/9 "2019-05-12T17:42:54Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I interpret the second line as being a clarification indicating that the “typical prohibition” does not apply when those teas are imported for personal use. If the reason for the prohibition is a concern about spreading pests or disease, then “personal use” shouldn’t be an exemption. Lots of invasive species problems have been caused by items imported to various places for personal use. The same item imported through a commercial handler probably needs to go through an inspection process, to make sure that whatever’s being considered a potential problem isn’t present. Many diseases and some pests aren’t easily detectible by an unskilled person. Some of them aren’t detectible at some stages of growth by a skilled person either, except with the aid of lab equipment. So plant material may look perfectly fine to the people wanting to ship it, and to the post office worker/airport inspector/whoever; but it might still be carrying a serious problem. I have no idea whether that’s what’s going on with the tea; but it might be. There may be no known problems with the tea plant itself, or none that survive the tea-making process; but there might well be potential problems with other species sometimes included in teas. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/10 "2019-05-12T17:50:02Z")
And the line about the “personal use” exemption also indicates that the same teas which can in fact be imported for personal use are not exempt from inspection. This thread is itself a good example of people not reading the whole quote, despite it barely being two sentences. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/11 "2019-05-13T01:47:21Z")
UK friends used to post tea to me in the US without any problem. Now though, I use Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/12 "2019-05-13T04:33:49Z")
Doesn’t “personal use” imply for you yourself -i.e. in your luggage; not for someone else you are sending to? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/13 "2019-05-13T09:31:58Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Doesn’t “personal use” imply for you yourself -i.e. in your luggage; not for someone else you are sending to? I don’t believe so; surely it is a phrase to differentiate a consignment from something that was going to be sold on. If you take a ferry from France to England, you can fill your car with cigarettes and booze quite legally, but the Border Force person may query why you need so much for ‘personal use’. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-my-wife-post-tea-to-the-usa-any-more/833833/14 "2019-05-13T09:38:26Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I don’t believe so; surely it is a phrase to differentiate a consignment from something that was going to be sold on. Yep. It’s for the personal use of the person(s) receiving it, regardless of who the sender is.