Pipe Shows & The FDA

[condorlover1]

I see that the NY (Newark) Pipe Show is soon to be upon us in March. In view of the proposed FDA Deeming Regulations I wonder what the situation will be regarding tobacco samples. Will we see tables with a nickel jar to buy samples? Will we see no tobacco at all and just pictures of the various blends. Perhaps there will be just 'scratch & sniff' cards or just postcard pictures of tins of tobacco. Will pipe makers be showing pipes with labels bearing risk warnings and 'Pending FDA Approval' and a warning about these items being nicotine delivery devices. Will the FDA be sending people to the shows to root out law breakers? Will it all just disappear like a bad dream courtesy of an Executive Order? Any thoughts people?

 

[daveinlax]

I don't think the FDA will enforce our shows. I would set out your products in jars with small baggies and and a marker let guys at them. I know selling samples for any money even a nickle could bring tax issues with the various states. 8O

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Make everyone who enters smoke a pipe. No smokey, no come-iny. It would at least force any impending FDA agent to actually smoke tobacco before entering. It would weed out the cowards, and at least make ones who have a dubious insurance policy do a lot of 'splainin.

 

[michaelmirza]

Will be very curious to see what happens at the Chicago show in May as well. Honestly I expect little to no change though. They're not staffed up to be enforcing this.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'd have the jar ready for the penny "fee". Scratch and sniff is what the attendees do.

 

[clickklick]

Should be a loophole. You pay entry into the show (Chicago), you get a ticket that is good for Saturday and Sunday.

Paying for that ticket grants you a private club membership for the show for those two days. If a manufacturer of tobacco is still concerned about that, then have a third party at the table giving out the samples to the "private club members". That way noone can question if a tobacco manufacturer can be a club member.
Last I checked, I was totally free to give tobacco gifts to my friends for their enjoyment. Same holds true for private clubs.

 

[mawnansmiff]

One way around the samples thing would be to 'sell' raffle tickets at say a penny each where lo and behold each raffle ticket is a winner and entitles you to a sample of your choice.
This idea stems from many years ago there was a mini rock festival in Norfolk Park (Sheffield) where some pals set up a real ale stall only to be told by the police they weren't licensed to do so. Someone came up with the raffle ticket idea (each ticket costing the price of a pint) and the police couldn't touch them!
Just an idea ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Russ had said that P&C was still able to include freebies to their customers. What's the difference. If we pay to get in, I don't see a difference between that and paying for a tin of Escudo and getting a few packs of Middleton Cherry thrown in. Just an example; please don't put any Middleton products in my package.

 

[mso489]

Private club membership for the price of admission sounds reasonable. Obviously a reg could be written to target that, but I think it will be years before FDA focuses any attention on pipe shows. That's not the tobacco market at large, or the vape market, or any consequential demographic. I guess FDA may want to come by the house and evaluate the patterns on my bow ties, but I think I could live to be 110 without seeing them.

 

[condorlover1]

(1) You actually own a 'Bow Tie' (2) You have actually admitted to owning one in a public forum? :rofl:

 

[daveinlax]

Russ had said that P&C was still able to include freebies to their customers. What's the difference.

Are they giving tobacco or something that's non regulated?
The CPCC tried the Private Club Membership the first year of the smoking ban. The cigar events like the Big Smoke sell tickets and the price includes the cigars that are sold through a local dealer that handles the taxes and regulations. I'd be more worried about shows getting targeted by local and state tobacco and sale tax enforcement than I would be about the FDA. 8O

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Are they giving tobacco or something that's non regulated?

Pipesandcigars.com... free samples of pipe tobacco, cigars, etc.., but with a purchase. Can't the free tobacco samples come with the admission price?
Honestly, I think that you guys are overthinking this. Either ask the people hosting the show, or don't do it. If you get there and people are not handing out samples, at least just sell your product (maybe use whomever is already the POS, so they can cover your taxes, pipe shop, local merchant, etc...). Then it would be a level playing field.

 

[clickklick]

POS in this case being Point Of Sale for all of you mischiefs.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

H aha, yeh, sorry, retail slang.

 

[condorlover1]

I did wonder about that and then realized you were absolutely talking about Point of Sale and not the other......... well never mind!