Blends, Blending Houses, Pipe Makers Lost to FDA

[brian64]

The pattern with federal agencies is to go after small and medium businesses...there are countless such stories...it just doesn't typically get reported by the

corporate media.
What does get reported is when big business gets fined for something. This creates the perception that the regulators are going after them, but the fines are for

just that...perception management...and a cost of doing business...nothing but a slap on the wrist for the big guys, and the price they pay for being given monopolies.
But the small and medium guys are the ones who get shut down/out of business/ruined...and sometimes imprisoned. That's the way the game has always been played, and to think otherwise is extremelly naive imo.

 

[warren]

And, never forget the avarice of a jealous/angry competitor. Perhaps a "bounty" will be offered much like that for tax evaders. Not that there is ever any disagreement, jealousy, or testiness in the pipe world. :puffpipe:

 

[woodsroad]

Y'all are still playing a "what if" scenario. The FDA to date has shown absolutely no inclination to regulate tobacco pipes.

 

[cigrmaster]

brian64, there are such things as small and medium sized businesses however a guy making a hundred pipes a year is an infinitesimally small business that will never reach an FDA's investigators desk. I am sorry but I just don't see it. Having been a small business owner since 1990, I can say with confidence that if the IRS or state tax departments don't look at you, the freaking FDA isn't going to. How many pipes do you think someone like Growley sells a year? 60, a 100? We are talking about a business that has what, 40,000 a year in income maybe? No one from the FDA is going to go after a guy like this.

 

[zack24]

I just received an estate pipe this week from the UK- it was labeled "Wooden Ornament" Henceforth- I publicly renounce my evil pipe-making ways and will only produce wooden ornaments...With 2 holes that will allow the user to stuff fragrant herbs in them to produce a lovely aroma in the room when lit...

 

[cigrmaster]

zack, if you don't make me at least one pipe a month, I am going to rat your ass to the FDA. now get busy bitch. :mrgreen:

 

[lazar]

The thread should be called "...voluntarily and preemptively discontinued prior to proposed FDA regulations which have not yet and may never actually go into effect."

 

[alan73]

I personally have no fear for the independent pipe carver. They will most certainly exist in the future. Tobacco on the other hand is in grave danger from punitive regulations and taxation. The FDA proposal to regulate the absolute nicotine levels is the scary one, it basically could eliminate buying tobacco, or at least the ability to buy it at a reasonable price.

 

[warren]

Tobacco use could revert back to what it was a few hundred years ago, something only the well-to-do could afford. The big question should be, "How do I increase my disposable income?"

 

[brian64]

@Harris: You may very well be right about an independent pipe carver, but given the fact that the FDA does things like raid Amish farmers for selling raw milk, you just never know.

 

[gecko13]

I recently started making and selling pipe cabinets again. To avoid any legal problems I will call them collectors "Antique Pipe Display Cabinets". :rofl:

 

[davet]

I find it a little hard to imagine that the customs agents at the border are hunting through the million or so boxes they see every day looking for a wooden pipe, when smuggled humans, animals, drugs, weapons etc are being found every day.

I've had them stop and charge taxes and duty on a single tin of tobacco :crazy:

I wouldn't be surprised by anything they do.