For the purpose of this article, the following terms shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in this section:

(1) PERSON. Any individual, firm, company, partnership, association, corporation, receiver or trustee, or any other group or combination acting as a unit, and the plural as well as the singular number.

(2) DEPARTMENT. The Department of Revenue of the State of Alabama.

(3) COMMISSIONER. The Commissioner of Revenue of the State of Alabama.

(4) STORAGE. Any keeping or retention in this state for any purpose except sale in the regular course of business or subsequent use solely outside this state of the commodities subject to the provisions of this article.

(5) USE. The exercise of any right or power over the commodities subject to the provisions of this article, incident to the ownership of those commodities or by any transaction where possession is given; except, that it shall not include the sale of those commodities in the regular course of business.

(6) IN THIS STATE. Within the exterior limits of the State of Alabama, and includes all territory within such limits owned by or ceded to the United States of America.

(7) TOBACCO PRODUCT. Cigars, cheroots, stogies, cigarettes, smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff or tobacco in any form or condition or any substitute therefor.

(8) RETAIL SALE or SALE AT RETAIL. All sales except sales by wholesalers to licensed retail dealers or other wholesalers for resale.

(9) REGISTERED TAXPAYER. Any person who purchases tobacco products subject to the tax imposed by this article and who has been registered by the department as a responsible taxpayer.