Pipe Tobacco Imports Accelerate While Roll-Your-Own Softens
Pipe tobacco imports rose sharply in 2025, with gains across every quarter compared with 2024 and particularly strong fourth quarter volume. That momentum continued into 2026, with first quarter imports already well above the prior year. By contrast, roll-your-own tobacco imports declined in 2025 after peaking in 2023 and remained softer in the first quarter of 2026.
Pipe Tobacco Exports Surge as Roll-Your-Own Recovers
Pipe tobacco exports surged in 2025, rising above 2024 levels in every quarter and reaching the highest volume in the eight-year trend. First quarter 2026 remained strong, though slightly below the exceptional first quarter of 2025. Roll-your-own and other smoking tobacco exports also improved in 2025 and continued to gain in the first quarter of 2026.
Pipe Tobacco Removals Stabilize as Roll-Your-Own Remains Lower
Pipe tobacco taxable removals, which include both imports and domestically produced product, improved in 2025 after several years of lower but relatively stable volume. Each quarter of 2025 exceeded the same period in 2024, with fourth quarter volume especially strong. Roll-your-own tobacco removals remained well below earlier levels, continuing the long-term decline in that category.
Industry Imports
Source: Dept. of Commerce/Bureau of the Census Report IM146 – U.S. Imports for Consumption.
Pipe Tobacco Imports
(8-year trend)
Roll-Your-Own Tobacco Imports
(8-year trend)
Other Tobacco (tobacco products other than cigarettes*)
(*This includes chewing tobacco, snuff, hookah/shisha tobacco, snus, and novel tobacco products.)
Pipe Tobacco Import Highlights
Source: Dept. of Commerce/Bureau of the Census Report IM146 – U.S. Imports for Consumption.
Pipe Tobacco Export Highlights
Source: Dept. of Commerce/Bureau of the Census Report IM146 – U.S. Imports for Consumption.
Statistical Bulletin Reports
Source: Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau Monthly Statistical Release, Tobacco Products.
This data reflects TTB taxable removals and includes both imported and domestically produced pipe tobacco and roll-your-own tobacco. Taxable removals are reported when federal excise tax is paid, either at the time of importation or when product is removed from a domestic factory after production. TTB reports volume in pounds, while import and export data are reported in kilograms.
Pipe Tobacco Taxable Removals
(8-year trend)
Roll-Your-Own Taxable Removals
(8-year trend)
Pipe Tobacco Statistical Bulletin Highlights
Source: Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau Monthly Statistical Release, Tobacco Products.