Smoking in public is drawing too much attention from the teenagers...

[busyhands94]

I went to the town today for a little fun, stopped by Brier Patch tobacco shop in Sonoma and got some coffee and some Captain Black white pouch. Lately I've been liking the stuff, it's a good smoke! I had been having problems a while ago with smoking my pipe in public, I was afraid people would get the wrong idea so I just smoked my RYO cigarettes instead and rolled them completely cylindrical to avoid any confusion. But I have given up cigarettes, I'm sticking with a pipe only.
So I sat down on a bench at the town square, got my Bible out and packed a big fat bowl. I put the fire to the brier and opened the good book to the last page I was on.
I was enjoying my pipe for about 10 minutes and next thing I know I'm surrounded by a bunch of damn teenagers. So they are all asking me dumb questions like "what kind of weed are you smoking bra'" and stuff like that. Couldn't even get a word in they were all trying to talk to me. So I just told them "What, no! I'm not going to get all hopped up on marijuana, what do I look like, a hippy?" Next thing I know they are telling me I need to go home and eat a bunch of bath salts. I don't know what the hell that means, is that what the teenagers are into these days?
So it appears they think I'm smoking narcotics, how do I make it look like I'm not? I'm really stuck here. I'm not touching another cig EVER, and cigars are too delicate to carry. Any suggestions?
~Levi

 

[mrgunnar177]

Just tell ten to piss off

 

[busyhands94]

Seems like a good idea, only problem is I'm too nice for that. I'm thinking about making a shirt that says in blaze orange letters: "Don't hassle me. It's only tobacco dumb@$$"

 

[wnghanglow]

There's always gonna be anti smoking nazis and quickly judging teenagers as well as nosey cops. You gotta learn to laugh it off or stay at home. Sorry bud :/

 

[baronsamedi]

Just answer every question with "Bend over and I'll show ya." Either you will end up kicking one of their lily asses or they will get fed up and leave. It's a win-win.

 

[nsfisher]

Too nice for that you say, lol, sry mate, I don't believe in turning the other cheek.

x military here and too many years in dojo's, even at my age. Dam teens would a went home one way or another. Can't stand em. Few things worse in this world than rotten street Teens with too much time on their hands!

 

[photoman13]

Just gotta convert them lol.

 

[tiltjlp]

Blow a smoke ring in their faces and they'll know you're smoking pipe tobacco.

 

[philip]

This is my suggestion only.
You probably won't convert them, but just smile and treat them with the utmost kindness and respect. If they realize you are smoking tobacco, they will probably go away thinking what a waste of a good pipe to only smoke tobacco. But at least they will remember the pipe smoker as a nice guy. If they just assume you are smoking pot, they will go away giggling at your boldness. There's no real harm done, because at least you can return home having retained your good temper.
If, on the other hand you lose your temper, swear or antagonize them, they will probably respond in kind and go away thinking pipe smokers are a bunch of jerks and you will have to return home angry - not the desired result of having smoked a pipe.

 

[topd]

I smoke in the house and out in public and have never had that problem. It makes me wonder about the whole picture you presented. I'm usually wearing bluejeans or trousers with suspenders, a shirt with collar and vest, topped off with a Stetson fedora. If you were wearing shorts and flip-flops or crocks, ball cap on backwards... well, what did your tee shirt say? What were you wearing?

I'm not saying you were dressed improperly, but find it hard to believe that these kids reacted to the site of your pipe alone. How you dress has a lot to do with how people perceive you.

 

[grafikchaos]

I believe that the age of the person smoking the pipe is a big factor here. I've never had this happen to me in public since I've come back to pipe smoking, but I've busyhands' experience when I was in my late teens, early 20s. Teens are naturally curious, especially when a 'peer' is possibly breaking the law and being ballsy about it. If they see someone my age, or Top's age, or Phillip's age smoking a pipe in public, their curiosity isn't nearly as piqued. They just see some 'old guy' smoking his pipe, and not smoking something 'cool' like smoking weed. I have to agree with Phillip here, and just be nice and courteous, and point out that you're smoking tobacco and let them go about their business.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

The bath salts is the newest craze in the drug world. It's actually not bath salts, but a form of LSD, I believe, which is in solid form and is making its way into the U.S. under the guise of being bath salts. It's almost as if the world is turning into the movie "Idiocracy" before our very eyes.
As for smoking a pipe in public, you're bound to get annoying teenagers asking if you're smoking marijuana. I second the advice of just telling them you're smoking tobacco. Probably the easiest way to get rid of them. It's a free country and until the government nanny's it out, you should smoke anywhere you want to that doesn't have a no smoking sign posted.

 

[cortezattic]

If you had started to read from the Bible aloud, the evil spirits would have left your presence forthwith. :lol:

It just goes to show you that sometimes God puts the power right in our hands, and we just don't use it.

 

[thebadkitty]

I agree with Top and Grafik. The same kind of thing happens to me from the opposite side. I look a lot younger than the 44 I am, and I'm usually wearing leather, blackjeans, t-shirts and/or flannel (yes, still in the old metalhead who never grew up uniform), so when I'm out smoking in public, especially the college campus, they perceive me as 'one of them' and make the green smoking comments.

I think it's funny, and it doesn't really annoy me. Just remember this Levi, It doesn't suggest anything negative about you, or your personal style, I think it says more about the people making the comments to you. Maybe some of these teens wish they had the balls to smoke their stuff in public, and see you as their hero haha.
edit for a side note: I read that bath salts were involved with the Fla. face eating incident.

 

[busyhands94]

Wait, so bath salts are pretty much a new designer drug? That pretty much explains it, I thought the kid just hopped up on too much dope or something.
Philip is right, I don't want to soil the image of pipe smokers. If I'm going to tell someone to go piss up a rope I don't want to be smoking a pipe, because they could think that all pipe smokers get bent out of shape. Either way, I don't give a damn what they think. I'm going to smoke my pipe in public regardless of what the dumb teenagers think.
I was thinking last night, what if I just played dumb?

"What's the chronic? Is that a brand of pipe tobacco? Is it an aromatic? Sounds like a newer blend, I like older brands, but I'll ask my tobacconist if he's got a pouch of "chronic tobacco" so I can see what the latest craze is like. Good day to you sir."
I do like Baron's idea though. I tend to be harsh sometimes.
Either way, I think I dress in a way that isn't really shouting "pot smoker" to anyone. Just a clean T-shirt, some hunting boots, cowboy hat, and some jeans. I also use deodorant and am clean shaven. It's not like I've got dreadlocks and a rasta color tie dye shirt.
~Levi

 

[kyletheaviator]

The bath salts is the newest craze in the drug world. It's actually not bath salts, but a form of LSD, I believe, which is in solid form and is making its way into the U.S. under the guise of being bath salts. It's almost as if the world is turning into the movie "Idiocracy" before our very eyes.

They were (still are?) a huge problem in the military, because they can't test for them, and they were (still are?) easy to access. Either way it's disgusting, cooked in someone's basement, and know to have HORRIBLE side effects starting from first time use. And they make them to have many other effect than just LSD.
But that's odd cause I wear some "suspect" clothing and smoke in publi all the time and only once have been asked what I was smoking by some guy trying to buy weed. Maybe you're just unlucky! Sorry that happened though. It's a shame

 

[spartan]

Pipe smokers don't have to be dainty. That promotes the stereotype that we are all gentlemen.
My advice is to get your cane and wack them over the head while yelling at them to get off of your lawn.
Give em hell.

 

[busyhands94]

Kyle, I've heard something about this fake marijuana they have and it's called spice. Appearantly it's completely legal to get hopped up on because it's not real dope, it's fake and mimics the effects only it's much more potent. That stuff is often sold as incense from what I've heard, so kids can buy it. It's also putting kids in the hospital or getting them intoxicated for up to a week. It sounds absolutely dreadful and it's much worse than dope. Personally I'd rather see them legalize dope and make that fake stuff illegal to sell.
I try and be a gentleman to promote a good image for pipe smokers, in fact several people told me that what I was smoking smelled really good. One woman said that the aroma of my pipe brought back memories of her papa, that's excellent! I like stuff like that.
I think I should be good and firm with them. And if they continue bothering me I'll tell em' to go to hell. Or maybe just jump down their throat R. Lee Eremy style. I think I'm just a little too polite sometimes.
~Levi

 

[cigrmaster]

Since I am an old guy no one ever thinks twice about asking me what is in my pipe. I would just politely explain that you are smoking God's gift to humanity and let it go at that.

 

[barkar]

Just do your own thing. My experience with those types is say nothing. Completely ignore them. They get bored fast and will move on to hassle someone else.
As for "bath salts" it is the latest street name for a new designer drug. The scary part is they are finding many different chemicals in different batches. It seems these drugs are being made all over by whom ever and made with God knows what.
Many of you likely saw in the news or online the story about the guy the cops had to shoot because he was eating another guys face off? Speculation is he was stoned on bath salts.
This new drug is very additive even more so then crack...advise your kids!