I think that the Baby Boomers seeing pipe smoking as old fashioned and the rise in cigar smoking could both help account for the statistics. The internet is also helpful as it makes much more choice available. Only the largest B&M tobacconists can offer anything like the selection available to most of us. That was one of the things that stopped me smoking a pipe the first time round, I never found the perfect tobacco for my tastes from the limited selection I could get back then. Not sure I have quite found that perfect smoke yet, but I'm enjoying the search and have found some blends that are pretty close.
What ever the reason, it is good to know that smoking a pipe has become ever more popular over recent years and is in no way a dying art. It's also good to see just how many years of experience there is amongst the forum members!