[goldenkey]

Its common for international shops to use Bitcoin. And its common for people to buy home vitamins and supplements, foods, etc.. from their ethnic countries of origin, because they are difficult to find anywhere else. Who exactly determines what someone buying bitcoin is allowed to use it for? If I want to trade it for vitamins or russian crackers or chocolate, am I now banned? Think about what you are saying -- that Bitcoin should be restricted to merely a speculation vehicle. Coinbase seems to have that opinion opaquely -- they function as more of a gambling/security sales portal in that case. And they should be held to the standards of that sector given their rather overt bans where users state a rather innocuous intention to use the Bitcoin for bartering.

[ceejayoz]

Since you're dancing around the point so much, I'll be more direct. Here are specific questions that I suspect Coinbase also had:

What vitamin is unavailable in the US but available internationally?

Is said vitamin legal to import to the US?

Why does the vendor not take anything but Bitcoin?

Why can't you wait a couple weeks to get it?

Where were you getting it previously without Bitcoin, given that it's so critical you can't go without?

[goldenkey]

I guess every purchase should require an interrogation. Thanks for your thoughts on liberty.