For smokers, sometimes a nicotine craving comes on strong and fast. If you don’t have the time or the transportation to get to a store, you might be wondering if there’s any way to have a pack of cigarettes delivered right to your doorstep. This has only become a more common issue with the recent pandemic and a lot of businesses moving to work from home models.
So, will uber deliver cigarettes to you?
Unfortunately for smokers, the answer is no, Uber will not deliver cigarettes to you. In fact, they will not deliver tobacco products of any kind including cigarettes, cigars, tobacco leaf, dip, or even vapes.
However, there are companies that will deliver these products to you, so not all is lost. Read on to find out why Uber eats doesn’t deliver cigarettes or tobacco and nicotine products, what companies do, and how you can go about getting that delivery.
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Why doesn’t uber deliver cigarettes?
In recent years, tobacco and nicotine products are back at the forefront of public conversation, especially after the vaping craze swept the nation among teenagers and young adults.
This has led to many companies trying to avoid the PR disaster that can come with being part of not only the underage nicotine crisis but also tobacco and nicotine products in general. Uber is simply one of the companies that have chosen to distance themselves from nicotine products of any kind.
The other reason that Uber and Uber Eats drivers are not allowed to deliver cigarettes is that often they have no way of verifying ID. In these cases, they would not be allowed to deliver alcohol either.
However, more and more Uber eats drivers are gaining this capability since the company decided to start allowing alcohol to be delivered, so perhaps things may change relatively soon, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.
There is a loophole to this, however. Since Uber eats gives you a driver’s number directly, you can ask them to pick some up for you and pay them directly for the service. This is technically not allowed by Uber eats, so it is at your discretion whether or not you’re willing to do this. If you do, make sure you give the driver a big tip.
What about alcohol?
You might be thinking: if Uber eats doesn’t sell cigarettes, does it deliver alcohol? After all, alcohol is another legal substance with a specific age it is legal to be used at. However, alcohol isn’t quite as hot-button of an issue as nicotine and tobacco are at the moment.
Well, it turns out that recently Uber and Uber eats have allowed drivers to begin delivering alcohol as long as all parties involved are over the age of 21. This is the case for almost every delivery app now, and being able to get alcohol is pretty standard.
Unfortunately for smokers, there is more of a stigma around nicotine products than alcohol, so some companies aren’t ready to take that extra step.
Is there any way to get cigarettes delivered?
Despite Uber and Uber eats not delivering cigarettes, there are a number of services that are more than willing to bring you a pack when you’re in need. Here are some of the apps and services that will deliver cigarettes to your doorstep:
Postmates
Postmates is one of the most reliable ways to get cigarettes delivered, as well as any other nicotine product. In fact, if a corner store, gas station, or grocery store sells it, Postmates will more than likely be able to give it to you.
However, since the people at the store selling you the product have no way to ID you to make sure you’re of the legal age, it is the driver’s responsibility. You won’t be able to do a contact-free cigarette delivery, and you’ll need your ID when you go to pick them up. Keep these things in mind when you order.
Door Dash
Door Dash, much like Postmates, has also recently given its customers the ability to order tobacco products to their doorsteps from the comfort of home. It pretty much works exactly the same as Postmates. Just look under local tobacco shops, corner stores, and grocers that Door Dash has available to you. One of them will more than likely be open and ready to sell.
Door Dash will also require an ID for the pickup of your order.
Go Puff
The third app you can use to order tobacco products from your phone is Go Puff. Go Puff is far more focused on things like tobacco, alcohol, snack foods, vapes, and other “gas station” or “corner store” supplies. This makes them the best option for ordering tobacco to your door, if available.
However, Go Puff is not available in many cities and is only active in a select few. That being said, if Go Puff is available to you, it is probably the most reliable method for getting cigarettes or other nicotine products delivered to you quickly.
You will need an ID for pick up, just like with the other two methods.
Conclusion
So, if you’re looking for a short answer, no. Uber and Uber Eats will not deliver cigarettes to your doorstep. This is mostly because of potential PR repercussions in the age of social media and in the fallout of a nicotine craze amongst young people. There is also the fact that Uber eats drivers have no way of verifying ID.
You could always go the route of trying to circumnavigate Uber and Uber Eats’ rules by texting the driver directly, but there are easier ways to get your hands on what you need.
However, there are some apps, such as Go Puff, Postmates, and Door Dash that are ready, willing, and able to deliver cigarettes, cigars, dip, vapes, and other tobacco products directly to your doorstep.
So if you’re looking for a nicotine fix, there’s your answer. You’ll have more luck with other apps rather than Uber and Uber Eats.
