So is US Pipe Smoking on the Rise... Or Decline?

[chicagopiper74]

Title pretty much sums it up. Obviously since colonial times there are far fewer pipe smokers today, but I'm talking about recent past (say since the turn of the century). Wave of taxes/bans/ prohibitions prohibitions increasing costs or or limiting markets seem to be rising. Perusing these forums it seems several beloved manufacturers have gone under. However, counter-evidence of the Chinese demand for high quality tobacco seems to be pushing in the other direction and increasing overall demand.

So are we growing as a community?

Best,
G

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

If you took away the pipe smoking baby boomers, there wouldn't be pipe smoking in the USA. At least, that's my opinion. Of course there are a few younger people getting into pipe smoking but I don't see that offsetting those getting out of it.

 

[BROBS]

No matter how many new people start on the pipe (unless there was some mass pipe hysteria) they won’t replace the amount of people either moving on or quitting. Especially with any new assaults on pipe tobacco. If it becomes even more of a chore to smoke a pipe, many people just won’t try it.

 

[sablebrush52]

Any of the tobacco industry figures I've seen over the past few years point toward a decline in the US.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Gen X here and I've seen too many folks hang up their pipes, too many companies close their doors, and too many B&Ms go out of business. It's a niche market that is slowly going away.

As far as understanding the term "community" for smokers, I never did get that.

 

[addamsruspipe]

I spend between 4-12 hrs a week in my local tobacconists lounge. Working on paperwork and having a pipe. I usually see between 3-4 new pipe smokers picking out a pipe and tobacco blends a week. That's just in the time period I am there. Not sure what the points to but that seems like pretty good trend to me.

 

[warren]

Yer askin' the wrong person I've no idea. Vendors and producers should have a feel for the status based on anecdotal observation at least.

As for addamsruspipe, "How many are return customers over a year?" Answer that and you might be able to determine a trend.

Simply based on population growth though, I'd suspect there are many more pipe smokers than colonial times. I'm defining "colonial times" as the heyday of Portugal, France, Spain, Holland and England, the 1600's through the early 1900's.

 

[Jef]

On Tuesday I went to my B&M tobacconist. They were closed and gone. No warning at all. They did not relocate. The world is coming to an end! ?
Jef

 

[craig61a]

There’s definitely more demand for pipes and pipe tobacco, or so I’ve noticed over the past few years.

Whether that translates to more individuals remains to be seen. More of the same people buying more pipes and tobacco? Possibly.

 

[Chasing Embers]

More of the same people buying more pipes and tobacco?

Impending deeming and cellaring.

 

[craig61a]

Yes, but while some reports I’ve seen have shown an increase in the business over the last five years, I doubt whether there’s enough granularity in the data to determine whether these are new purchasers.

Then again, when something becomes more obtainable, there’s always more interest. Only time will tell.

 

[diamondback]

Interesting poll. I will comment that I’m impressed with the new members entering the forum almost daily.

If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say we will remain the small minority. If I live long enough to smoke my entire cellar I believe I will be a silent member of a largely extinct club.

 

[docrameous]

Without seeing some financials of some of these companies, correlating that against the economy and changes in population, it's all very hard to see. Here's two impressions:

1. Brick and Mortar stores of all types are in general competing with online sales. The little town I am from seems to have exploded in restaurants and micro-breweries, whilst the small locally owned business of supply <insert whatever you want here> is struggling. Even local entities like pharmacies are under siege because insurance companies are pressuring people to buy their regular meds from online discounters. The variety, the convenience and the price point are just hard to miss. There are many examples of this shift at least in our town.

2. At least in my age group 40-50s, I have a number of friends who never smoked in their lives due to the big anti-smoking campaign in our childhoods, pick up in moderation cigars and now pipes in the last few years. One friend is even into shisha. If they do smoke, it is in private in their homes AND they buy online, so it is underground as there are few public friendly smoking places. They shop online not because they don't like Brick and Mortar stores, but it is convenient, the variety is great and the price point is competitive. I get it. Do I drive 40 minutes to my B & M in a very full work week, or do I buy online and it is at my house in several days? I try to go to my B & M to support it, but sometimes an online order is what I wind up doing.

I have also wondered if vaping and pot smoking will also lead to others picking up the briar, but I couldn't say from any personal experience as all my friends don't fit that profile.

Anyhow... time will tell...

 

[gervais]

New members join daily it seems. That tells me that there is some interest still out there. I'm going to say it's increasing slowly. That's my vote

 

[TinCup]

To use a colloquialism, pipe smoking is freakin awesome!
What we need is a mainstream media push to raise the awareness and get more people looking to try it

The Sherlock films had a token nod, Lord of the rings somewhat more so, as every main character was a pipe smoker, but quite difficult to identify with, but I think what's really needed is a solo main character that folks can get behind

Did Marvel ever have a Captain Pipe comic book?

 

[Chasing Embers]

The inevitable banning of internet sales will show whether or not pipe smoking is resilient.

 

[judcole]

Very hard to say, and certainly very few people here are going to have any hard data, although some of us will have seen industry data, as is noted by Sable.

Any of the tobacco industry figures I've seen over the past few years point toward a decline in the US.

As an interesting side note: when I started hanging around online pipe groups, one's "cellar" was tobacco stashed aside for purposes of aging it. You cellared blends you enjoyed, usually Virginias, to see how they might better That's still how I think of it.
Now, for many newer smokers, it refers to a stash that they have because the tobaccopocalypse is gonna happen any day now, and I need lots of tobacco, and omgomgomg I need 2 pounds of this blend I haven't ever tried but everybody says is really good, and I might miss out! An interesting phenomenon.

 

[Mr.Mike]

Maybe the war on cigs and Vapes will drive more people to pipes.

 

[gamzultovah]

Bob Marshbanks of the Pipe Den in Vero Beach, said that in the past six months, he’s seen a startling increase in new pipe smokers. He says they’re the “young bearded guys” which to me indicates a possible short lived trend. In Central Florida where I live, I’ve met only two pipers in the past five or so years, so to me, pipe smoking is in decline.

 

[BROBS]

I doubt it. The war is on tobacco use in general.