Don’t Tread on Pipe Tobacco or Anything Else

Just about every member of the pipe smoking community should already know about H.R. 4439, the Tobacco Tax Parity Act of 2010. It proposes to raise the tax on pipe tobacco 775% from $2.8311 to $24.78 per pound. Many of you have signed our Petition to Stop the Pipe Tobacco Tax. While I am quite pleased with the support the pipe community has shown in rallying against this bill, many of the comments, attitudes and opinions expressed have been disappointing and disheartening to say the least.

We are thankful for the support, but we are frustrated with the finger-pointing, self-segregation of smokers and suggestions to tax other things that are Personal Lifestyle Choices.

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Every Day is International Pipe Smoking Day

February 20th is International Pipe Smoking Day. This month will mark the 3rd annual event, or holiday if you will. So mark your calendars now as it is right around the corner. International Pipe Smoking Day was started by Smoker’s Forums in 2008. In 2009 it was embraced by Comite International des Pipe Clubs and The United Pipe Clubs of America (UPCA), and much of the pipe smoking world. The call goes out to all pipe smokers to organize pipe smoker events held at 9:00 p.m. and announce them in the national, regional and local press to draw as much attention to pipe smoking in general as possible.

I would like to take International Pipe Smoking Day a step further.

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The Mystique of Perique

Perique is a unique and rare type of tobacco that comes exclusively from one small swath of land near New Orleans. It is used as a "condiment tobacco" to make nearly a hundred different brand name pipe tobacco blends from around the world. It’s existence has been in jeopardy more than once, first in the late 1990s and then in 2005. It may have become "extinct". In 2005, the L.A. Poche Perique Tobacco company was purchased by Mark Ryan, and a new era for Perique began. This tobacco has an intriguing history, and it adds a delectable nuance to many different blends. We sat down and chatted with Mr. Ryan recently so he could tell us the story of Perique tobacco.

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Don’t Leave Home Without It … Your Pipe

"Don’t Leave Home Without It" was a popular American Express ad campaign for several decades. They obviously didn’t want you to leave home without your American Express Card. Well, I don’t want you to leave home without your PIPE. I’ve made an interesting observation about myself and others recently. I found that I was only smoking my pipes at home although there were several opportunities to do so in the park, walking around downtown and elsewhere. In last month’s article in this column, "Pipes Are For Everyone", one of the commenters said, speaking of his girlfriend that smokes a pipe, "…like a lot of ladies she is a bit shy and will not smoke in public or talk about it around people she doesn’t know." It’s not just the ladies either. I have also spoken to several male pipe smokers that have made similar statements.

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Pipes are for Everyone

If I asked you to close your eyes and conjure up in your mind an image of a person smoking a pipe it’s almost a foregone conclusion that image you would have in your mind would be of a man smoking a pipe. And it’s almost as much a foregone conclusion that the man smoking the pipe would be someone who was perhaps the wrong side of 60 rather than someone much younger.

That’s the stereotype we have of pipe smokers these days. They’re men, they’re old and they’re probably out there smoking their pipes on a park bench or rocking chair on their front porch. It’s extremely unlikely that your mental image would be of a younger male and even less unlikely that your mental image would be of a female smoking a pipe.

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Pipe Tools Part 2

In the earlier Pipe Tools article we talked about some quite important tools for the pipe smoker and a few that not everyone is going to be interested in using. This time though we’re going to be talking about a few tools and accessories that just about every pipe smoker is going to need in his kit.

Last time we started out with pipe cleaners so let’s start this session with cleaning brushes for pipe stems and shanks. Unlike pipe cleaners these brushes are not absorbent and are reusable although they’re so cheap you won’t need to worry too much if you have to throw one away.

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Pipe Tools Part 1

As with any hobby or pastime when it comes to smoking a pipe there are tools and bits and pieces that you just can’t live without and we’re going to have a look at some of those right now and we’ll start off with the cheapest tool of all.

Perhaps the simplest tool of all is the humble pipe cleaner … that slim furry little critter that you slip into the stem of your pipe to keep it clean and free of build up that can really spoil your smoking experience. You can also use them to keep the stem dry while you’re still smoking your pipe.

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Clove Cigarettes Banned as “Flavored”

Are they Coming for Your Pipe Tobacco Next?

The ban on flavored cigarettes, which includes widely popular, and mass-distributed for decades, Clove Cigarettes, went into effect yesterday, September 22, 2009.

Clove cigarettes and other flavored cigarettes are now illegal in the USA.

The ban is one of the first visible effects of a new law signed by President Barack Obama in June that gives the Food and Drug Administration wide-ranging authority to regulate tobacco.

Part of the new "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" has a ban on flavored cigarettes which went into effect September 22nd. This part of the law has provisions that include a ban on the use of flavors in tobacco, other than menthol. This will include clove cigarettes, a product popular in the US for decades.

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Why Buy More than One Pipe?

I remember back when I bought my first pipe … I hunted high and low for one that felt just right and looked good too. I knew that it had to be a genuine briar and for some reason I wanted one that looked just like the pipes my father and grandfather used to smoke.

When I found the one that was right for me I thought that I was set for life. I had the perfect pipe and I was sure that, baring accidents, this was the pipe that I was going to use for the rest of my days. Sure I’d heard of guys who had a collection of pipes and used them all but besides being a collector, why do you need more than one pipe, and how many do you need?

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The Nanny State - FDA Tobacco Regulation

By Tommy Zarzecki

Say… What’s that Smell?

There’s an old saying that simply says, "I smell a rat."

Back on June 22, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (PDF, 350 K). This historic legislation grants authority to regulate tobacco products to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The interesting thing here is that tobacco is neither a food or a drug, yet the brain trust of our wonderful country has put the FDA in charge of regulating the industry.

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