2403.19.60.80 - Maryland

This HTS category, HTS Code 2403.19.60.80, specifically covers "Maryland" tobacco when it is classified as smoking tobacco and falls under the broader group of other manufactured tobacco and tobacco substitutes. This classification applies to smoking tobacco that is not specifically flue-cured (2403.19.60.50) or Burley (2403.19.60.60). The inclusion of "Maryland" in this context denotes a specific type or variety of tobacco leaf that is primarily used for smoking purposes, often processed and prepared for direct use in pipes or as a component in other smoking mixtures.

The distinction between "Maryland" and its siblings, "Flue-cured" and "Burley," lies in the distinct curing processes and inherent characteristics of the tobacco leaf itself. Flue-cured tobacco is dried using artificial heat in barns, resulting in a bright leaf with high sugar content, typically used in cigarettes. Burley tobacco is air-cured in barns, producing a darker, coarser leaf with a lower sugar content, also common in cigarettes and pipe tobacco. "Maryland" tobacco, while also a distinct variety, is characterized by its air-curing process and specific flavor profile, which sets it apart and warrants separate classification within this subcategory.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS database, there are no further subcategories to introduce. The classification is finalized at this level, meaning that tobacco identified as "Maryland" and meeting the preceding criteria is definitively classified under 2403.19.60.80, provided it also meets the additional U.S. note 5 requirements for entry into the United States. This designation ensures precise import and export control for this specific type of smoking tobacco.