Huge list of things that you can no longer send to Italy by U.S.P.S.

1. Albums of any kind (of photographs, postcards, postage stamps, etc.
2. Arms and weapons.
3. Articles of platinum or gold; jewelry; and other valuable articles (unless sent as insured Priority Mail International parcels)
4. Artificial flowers and fruits and accessories for them.
5. Bells and other musical instruments and parts thereof.
6. Cartridge caps; cartridges.
7. Clocks and supplies for clocks.
8. Compound medicaments and medicines.
9. Coral mounted in any way.
10. Ether and chloroform.
11. Exposed photographic and cinematographic films.
12. Footwear of any kind.
13. Haberdashery and sewn articles of any kind, including trimmings and lace; handkerchiefs; scarves; shawls, needlework including stockings and gloves; bonnets, caps, and hats of any kind.
14. Hair and articles made of hair.
15. Human remains.
16. Leather goods.
17. Lighters and their parts, including lighter flints.
18. Live bees, leeches, and silkworms.
19. Live plants and animals.
20. Nutmeg, vanilla; sea salt, rock salt; saffron.
21. Parasites and predators of harmful insects.
22. Perfumery goods of all kinds (except soap).
23. Playing cards of any kind.
24. Postage stamps in sealed or unsealed First-Class Mail International shipments.
25. Radioactive materials.
26. Ribbons for typewriters.
27. Roasted or ground coffee and its substitutes; roasted chicory.
28. Saccharine and all products containing saccharine.
29. Salted, smoked or otherwise prepared meats; fats; and lard.
30. Tobacco.
31. Toys not made wholly of wood.
32. Treated skins and furs.
33. Weapons of any kind and spare parts for them.

Recently I wanted to mail someone in Italy a t-shirt and a couple of postcards, but I found out that they are prohibited! I don't know if this big list of prohibited items signals increasing problems with the U.S. mail or problems with the Italian customs office or both. Either way, it's not looking good. Also, one must fill out all U.S.P.S. customs forms at home on a computer (including the weight of package and phone number of recipient) and print it out before taking it to the post office. NO MORE hand-written forms!