So I ordered the Sanwu pocket 445 nm 800 mw Laser. When I ordered it I looked into legality in my country (Canada) and it said it was fine. Turns out the reference I used was a little outdated. Anything above a 3a is now illegal in Canada. So I’m wondering what the odds are that my laser will make it through customs and also if I will be in legal trouble if it doesn’t. Thanks!
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Sanwu pocket 445 nm 800 mW illegal?
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diachi
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It'll be fine. Sale is illegal, import is "illegal". Possession is not. I'm yet to see anyone have trouble importing anything laser related into Canada.
Nobody can answer that---either it gets through or it gets seized by Customs n which case you will get a letter from them.
Something along these lines: https://imgur.com/a/hWnxO
If you don't respond within the time limit they will dispose of it.
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is my best bet to send it back to Sanwu if they catch it?
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Glad I have never had anything held up by customs. I have had over three hundred packages come to me through customs in the past four years with no problems from customs, though some of it could have been confiscated. Not in Canada either, though.
Edit: If you elect to send it back it will cost you a lot more than it cost to get it there. Doesn't Sanwu take it on themselves to rectify customs problems?
Edit: If you elect to send it back it will cost you a lot more than it cost to get it there. Doesn't Sanwu take it on themselves to rectify customs problems?
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ive been trying to find that out. but I'm new to the hobby and not sure where to go to find out more about Sanwu policies regarding customs
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PM Podo. He is a member here that represents Sanwu and can inform you better than I can. But, I wouldn't accept having to pay to send it back as that will cost you a lot.
Wait and see what the current options are if it gets stopped.
It is up to you what to do or not do---return it to origin at your cost used to be a option but not sure now if it is still the case.
As diachi mentioned it probably will be OK
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ive heard of Podo. I think il leave him be unless it becomes an issue. Thanks for the help!
BobMc
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I think Sanwu's delivery guarantee is something like. If it gets stopped at customs they will reship for free. If it gets lost they spit the different with you and pay half. Think that's the way it works ? :thinking:
Ps, I think you'll get it. Hope so, because your going to love it!
Ps, I think you'll get it. Hope so, because your going to love it!
I think Sanwu's delivery guarantee is something like. If it gets stopped at customs they will reship for free. If it gets lost they spit the different with you and pay half. Think that's the way it works ? :thinking:
Ps, I think you'll get it. Hope so, because your going to love it!
Thanks a lot for the info!
Nutball
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According to the document, could you say the laser is designed to burn through materials only a 1W of that color and beam size could? They have a flashlight lens right? You could say it takes 1W to make a good flashlight.
diachi
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But why do you need a battery operated/handheld laser to burn through things?
Why wouldn't you just buy a flashlight?
You could say whatever want you but Canada Health/Canada Customs are not untrained fools, they are serious adults doing a job and they would not appreciate people playing silly pretend games about high powered lasers. They enforce Canada's laws, rules , and regualtions.
See: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-radiation/hand-held-lasers-laser-pointers.html
"Quick summary: As of June 2011, it is illegal to sell or provide high-powered portable lasers (Class 3B and Class 4) to consumers in Canada. That means you.
Before the inevitable discussion starts: It doesn't matter what you intend to use them for, or that you already have one, or whether you think that you're not a "consumer" because you think you're a "laser expert", hobbyist, inventor, or whatever. If you are not a scientist working in a laser lab at a University, or a CLSO, or an OEM which is integrating these lasers into other devices for commercial purposes, then you are a consumer. If your organization's primary activity does not involve high-powered lasers, then you are a consumer. If you do not have a clearly-defined commercial or academic requirement for a high-powered portable device, which cannot be fulfilled with a lower-powered or non-portable device, then you are a consumer. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that, as far as Health Canada is concerned, every person on this forum is probably a consumer.
The actual regulation which was implemented in June 2011 is called the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA)
Specifically, in Section 2 they define "danger to human health or safety”:
“danger to human health or safety” means any unreasonable hazard — existing or potential — that is posed by a consumer product during or as a result of its normal or foreseeable use and that may reasonably be expected to cause the death of an individual exposed to it or have an adverse effect on that individual’s health — including an injury — whether or not the death or adverse effect occurs immediately after the exposure to the hazard, and includes any exposure to a consumer product that may reasonably be expected to have a chronic adverse effect on human health.
Now, whether you agree with them or not, Health Canada has classified all portable Class 3B and 4 lasers as "a danger to human health or safety", as defined by the CCPSA. There is no debate to be made about this, it's done and there's little chance of getting them to change their minds.
What does this mean for the Canadian laser industry and Canadian laser purchasers?:
-If you attempt to import a portable laser which is Class 3B or higher you can expect to have it seized, as we have seen already.
-If you attempt to sell or make available a portable laser which is Class 3B or higher, Health Canada has an incredible array of powers to utilize against you, including product seizure, mandatory recall, huge fines, etc.
Note, it doesn't need to be a sale. Giving one of these to your brother for free would be considered a violation.
The Act specifies that nobody may make available to the public a hazardous device of any kind. Therefore, if you build one, as a hobbyist, and sell it or give it away, you are in violation of the Act. Kits are covered in the definition of a "consumer product". So, no kits, importing or selling kits for high-powered portable lasers would violate the Act, also. You've been warned!
By Justin Hosaki Vice President of Sales and Operations LaserglowTechnologies, Canada see thread :http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/canadian-restrictions-portable-lasers-official-info-release-laserglow-73129.html
Exactly.
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BobMc
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