Is your friend considering importing or would it be national shipping?

Understandable, and that's the kind of system you want to have in place when dealing in unfamiliar waters with unfamiliar sellers.

I'd suggest reading Strike's book "Sources," if you haven't. It provides an understanding of the dangers and benefits of both importation and dealing nationally.

As safrole, the main component in sassafras oil is registered as a list 1 precursor, you can bet your ass its watched. Most of the companies that sell in the United States must keep customer information in a database when selling that particular oil so that if the DEA asks, they can turn it over with ease and without complaint or suspicion. This is most probably for any amount of the oil, but from my own experience i can't say for sure. I believe you can legally order 12oz a year before having to fill out DEA paperwork for acquisition, but this isn't suggested, and even before 12oz you're probably not well off. Then again, there are some special companies which don't report any sales or keep records and of course those would be the ones you'd want to deal with. Finding which is which might be difficult, but could require a single phone call and question.

With importation you don't have to worry about ordering limit or being in a database which will be reported, (unless its a face fake distributor). But, in my experience, you do have to worry about being ripped off. Foreign countries know what they can get past customs and what is illegal especially when its their profession. Because of this, in some cases when you pay an arm and a leg for sass oil, they'll send you some other oil, cedar oil for example, and know you can't complain otherwise because you're not supposed to have it. If ordering from foreign countries, always have a sample sent before ordering large orders. Also, if you ever did import, you would want your oil mislabeled and not stopped at customs. They have tests where the can easily check the safrole content of suspicious oils.

It's a tough game to get sass oil these days. Be very careful my friend. I'm sending you a PM now.

That source is unusually expensive even for a watched product. I suggest otherwise. Also, D1ssonance, it is against forum policy to suggest sources publicly, no matter how sneaky you think you are being about it.

Not trying to be rude just letting you know  Welcome to the Vespiary.