The Economics of Pipe Smoking

[Ahi Ka]

@VDL_Piper I’d rather pay those tobacco prices and live in Tasmania than humansville.

I too smoke a bowl or so a day. Fortunately we are allowed to legally grow our own tobacco for personal use here across the ditch. But even if I purchase a tin, I remind myself that I’m going to get at least an hours worth of smoking each day for the next three weeks, with a few extra evening bowls thrown in too.

I’m currently sober, whereas my neighbour would polish off on average a bottle or two of wine a night. Putting aside the fact he buys expensive stuff, even if he was drinking cheap clear skins, he would still be spending close to twice what my tobacco costs, as are those who regularly buy rounds of pints at the local pub or multiple coffees a day at work.

Im not condoning or supporting the ridiculous taxation on tobacco, but like you, I’ve made peace with it, I’ve prioritised my pipe smoking, and that decision alone makes me happy

 

[Streeper541]

The economics of smoking a pipe is forever changing. Here in Australia it’s cost prohibitive if you’re smoking a lot of tobacco a day and this is all due to government intervention/tax. Here is a screen shot of my last order

As you can see it’s eye watering...

For those that are interested in the math, that breaks down to $99.64/ 2oz tin in USD. ?‍?



As much as I smoke, I'd go broke.

 

[AJL67]

@VDL_Piper I’d rather pay those tobacco prices and live in Tasmania than humansville.

I too smoke a bowl or so a day. Fortunately we are allowed to legally grow our own tobacco for personal use here across the ditch. But even if I purchase a tin, I remind myself that I’m going to get at least an hours worth of smoking each day for the next three weeks, with a few extra evening bowls thrown in too.

I’m currently sober, whereas my neighbour would polish off on average a bottle or two of wine a night. Putting aside the fact he buys expensive stuff, even if he was drinking cheap clear skins, he would still be spending close to twice what my tobacco costs, as are those who regularly buy rounds of pints at the local pub or multiple coffees a day at work.

Im not condoning or supporting the ridiculous taxation on tobacco, but like you, I’ve made peace with it, I’ve prioritised my pipe smoking, and that decision alone makes me happy

Makes complete sense i think it’s still just crazy to some of us, it’s not illegal but we are going to tax it until most ppl can’t afford it sucks. I suppose it does keep you from over buying like the idiot posting this lol.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Makes complete sense i think it’s still just crazy to some of us, it’s not illegal but we are going to tax it until most ppl can’t afford it sucks. I suppose it does keep you from over buying like the idiot posting this lol.

At least the idiot who purchased all of Hoosier’s stash got a free lunch thrown in! ?

oh and yes, it’s crazy af

 

[warren]

Smoking is fast becoming a vice only affordable by the middle class and above, at least in first world countries. It's simply a fact of life. If one is scrimping to buy tobacco, as long as the kids have food and shoes, that's their business. But, there will always be a percentage of the various populations for whom smoking is not an option.

Smoking is a choice and not some sort of right. We all or, at least most of us, knew when we started to use tobacco that society viewed it as a vice to be taxed and that prices were not going to get less expensive over time. Even government found to be the better part of valor to quit underwriting the farming of tobacco. But, there are millions of third world smokers so, those who can afford it in the US and other, so-called first world countries will always be able to enjoy a cigarette, cigar, or pipe as long as there is profit in it for growers, wholesalers and retailers. (Clumsy last sentence to be sure.)

 

[AJL67]

At least the idiot who purchased all of Hoosier’s stash got a free lunch thrown in! ?

oh and yes, it’s crazy af

Hey we know that idiot! Wasn’t me but I’m sure he got a hell of a deal and i would have shot for a steak dinner ?

 

[AJL67]

Smoking is fast becoming a vice only affordable by the middle class and above, at least in first world countries. It's simply a fact of life. If one is scrimping to buy tobacco, as long as the kids have food and shoes, that's their business. But, there will always be a percentage of the various populations for whom smoking is not an option.

Smoking is a choice and not some sort of right. We all or, at least most of us, knew when we started to use tobacco that society viewed it as a vice to be taxed and that prices were not going to get less expensive over time. Even government found to be the better part of valor to quit underwriting the farming of tobacco. But, there are millions of third world smokers so, those who can afford it in the US and other, so-called first world countries will always be able to enjoy a cigarette, cigar, or pipe as long as there is profit in it for growers, wholesalers and retailers. (Clumsy last sentence to be sure.)

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Sure makes me happy.

 

[VDL_Piper]

How does the Aussie government stop tobacco gardens?

Illegal to grow tobacco for personal or commercial use with huge fine and jail terms too. This just recently.

$34.5 million in illegal tobacco seized and destroyed in major tobacco bust near Port Macquarie

The ATO has seized and destroyed over 26 tonnes of illicit tobacco following warrants across five sites near Port Macquarie, NSW.

www.ato.gov.au

 

[VDL_Piper]

It's all relative.
AUD$500 of pipe tobacco goes a lot further than AUD$500 worth of Habanos.
You can drop AUD$500 on a bottle of wine or spirits easily

As long as the bills are paid, kids fed and clothed and there is a roof over your head.
If a pipe helps you de-stress after a day of hard yakka it's worth its asking price.

Agree mate, it’s all relative

 

[AJL67]

Illegal to grow tobacco for personal or commercial use with huge fine and jail terms too. This just recently.

$34.5 million in illegal tobacco seized and destroyed in major tobacco bust near Port Macquarie

The ATO has seized and destroyed over 26 tonnes of illicit tobacco following warrants across five sites near Port Macquarie, NSW.

www.ato.gov.au

Well thank god for that!

 

[VDL_Piper]

Penalties for growing tobacco here in Australia

Penalties for possessing more than two and less than five kilograms of illicit tobacco include:

• civil penalty – this is a Penalty Infringement Notice of at least $44,000.

Penalties for possessing over five kilograms of illicit tobacco include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years or at least a $222,000 fine or both.

Penalties for selling illicit tobacco products include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years or at least a $222,000 fine or both.

Penalties for buying illicit tobacco products include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years or at least a $222,000 fine or both.

Penalties for manufacturing or producing illicit tobacco include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to 10 years or at least a $333,000 fine or both.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

The economics of smoking a pipe is forever changing. Here in Australia it’s cost prohibitive if you’re smoking a lot of tobacco a day and this is all due to government intervention/tax. Here is a screen shot of my last order
View attachment 163985
As you can see it’s eye watering but I have made a conscious decision to smoke my pipe until I die or am physically incapable of doing so. Why??…………because I don’t just love smoking for the sake of it but because for me the smoking of a pipe is a meditative thing. When I smoke my pipe I think more clearly, I slow down, I watch, I plan and strategize and generally enter a different state of mind that seems unobtainable any other way. My best farming and money making decisions are made with a pipe clenched, whiskey held and great plumes of smoke swirling around me. So for me it’s a way to clear the mind in a world that seems to be gaining momentum towards more and more craziness. People don’t talk to one another in person anymore. It’s all driven now through a digital universe, people don’t stop to help someone in need they pull out their phone and record it for a digital platform for “likes”, personal approval from complete strangers!!
My pipe cuts through all this nonsense and transports me back in time to when the simple things mattered and it allows me to make really good decisions in a world where good decisions are becoming very hard to find.

So the economics of smoking a pipe for me aren’t just financial there is much greater cost if I stop.

I just about spit out my coffee reading this. My God. I would probably quit if prices were that high. Or travel to other countries and smuggle it back. Hate to see that. I knew AUS was high, but didn't know it was that bad.

 

[AJL67]

I just about spit out my coffee reading this. My God. I would probably quit if prices were that high. Or travel to other countries and smuggle it back. Hate to see that. I knew AUS was high, but didn't know it was that bad.

But again we tend to hoard because it’s easy and cheep, many of us have 3 lifetimes of tobacco we don’t need.

 

[vosBghos]

I just checked the Australian dollar vs. US dollar and I am in shock over the price in USD, good God.

Yeah it’s pretty outrageous same for skateboard parts it doesn’t even make sense everything is 3 times as much making it unaffordable to the main demographic that would even want to skate…

 

[nolan613]

It truly makes me sad to see free men turn over their rights to government control/taxation. I remember being 5-6 years old standing up between my parents driving down the road, windows rolled down and both of them smoking Chesterfields. I survived without any government intervention watching out for my best interests.

Benjamin Franklin said that "those who would trade freedom for security deserve neither". Don't threaten me with controls for my own good. Yes, I have much more tobacco stored than I will ever smoke. My wife has been instructed to post here upon my demise.

 

[Briar Lee]

Penalties for growing tobacco here in Australia

Penalties for possessing more than two and less than five kilograms of illicit tobacco include:

• civil penalty – this is a Penalty Infringement Notice of at least $44,000.

Penalties for possessing over five kilograms of illicit tobacco include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years or at least a $222,000 fine or both.

Penalties for selling illicit tobacco products include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years or at least a $222,000 fine or both.

Penalties for buying illicit tobacco products include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years or at least a $222,000 fine or both.

Penalties for manufacturing or producing illicit tobacco include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to 10 years or at least a $333,000 fine or both.

Remind me to order another six pounds of cherry cavendish.

I have friends who tried growing Virginia and gave me some.

It wasn’t good, not good at all.

 

[VirginiaMan]

Those prices are ludicrous. I would be easing my way out of Australia.

 

[VDL_Piper]

I just about spit out my coffee reading this. My God. I would probably quit if prices were that high. Or travel to other countries and smuggle it back. Hate to see that. I knew AUS was high, but didn't know it was that bad.

Don’t waste your coffee. I guess that is their aim, tax you to oblivion to make the die hards quit, they didn’t factor in that die hards don't quit.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

But again we tend to hoard because it’s easy and cheep, many of us have 3 lifetimes of tobacco we don’t need.

Guilty.
Also, cheap and easy for now*

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Penalties for growing tobacco here in Australia

Penalties for possessing more than two and less than five kilograms of illicit tobacco include:

• civil penalty – this is a Penalty Infringement Notice of at least $44,000.

Penalties for possessing over five kilograms of illicit tobacco include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years or at least a $222,000 fine or both.

Penalties for selling illicit tobacco products include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years or at least a $222,000 fine or both.

Penalties for buying illicit tobacco products include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to five years or at least a $222,000 fine or both.

Penalties for manufacturing or producing illicit tobacco include:

• criminal penalty – this is a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to 10 years or at least a $333,000 fine or both.

Can you have a pipe in prison? ?