The Pipe Tobacco Market in Australia

[warren]

Keep in mind, no one is forcing us to smoke and burn our moneys up as it were. It's a choice we made. I made it a life-time ago. Some of our younger members chose their wee vice knowing prices were going to soar as society exerted it's "anti-tobacco" position. So, we all have but two choices, quit smoking or pay the price. Prices are only gonna climb, taxes and ever rising costs of growing and producing the leaf dictate that.

I suppose venting about costs is a semi-satisfying choice but, ti's not going to change the upward trajectory of costs. So... suck it up folks, smoking is only going to get more expensive.

 

[PiperdownCan]

Terrible news, sorry to hear about that. As a Canadian I’m sure we will be following your lead at some point, for now I’m “happy“ enough when I can order from a different province and pay $70 instead of $90 for a tin. Once in a while I play the duty lottery and order from the US but I’m mostly sick of that game. In the future I figure I’ll just try to pick up whatever I can when we travel to Europe and be satisfied with that.

It’s really terrible that they’re compromising the integrity of what you are able to buy though, maybe once the market adjusts they can make proper 30g tins for the AUS market like they do with the stupid plain packaging here in Canada.

I guess it helps put the damper on FOMO.

 

[Boko_Fittleworth]

Aside from the whole do-gooder tyrant issue, when politicians raise taxes on a particular item to such an insane level like that, one must suspect they have ties to (or receive donations from) the criminal gangs that they KNOW will conduct the illegal trade in such items. Like certain politicians in Chicago, New York, Boston, etc. during Prohibition in the USA.

 

[Boko_Fittleworth]

The Mafia in Chicago LOVED Prohibition.

 

[Sig]

All in the name of the “greater good” whatever that may be

It boggles my mind that a large number of people in the US do not see what's going on other places, and continue to vote for more regulations and greater control.
And they are the same ones who throw the word fascist around.
Its kind of funny that a local bar here is having their outside sitting/smoking/music area shut down by the city. The bar is located in downtown Jamestown NY. They have a petition going around, a change.org thing going, and they are raising hell.
The reason its being shut down is the live music and pot smoke is annoying people that live near there, and local businesses.
Im the last guy to limit rights, but I will say that a live band from 10pm-2am every night is a bit much.
This area is between big buildings, so the sound is amplified. The city has tried to reason with them, to no avail.
You can hear the music at my parents house, 2+ miles away in suburbia. There are a lot of apartments within yards of this venue.
Anyways, these are the same people who wanted lockdowns a few years ago, wanted people to lose their jobs, want to eliminate the 1st and 2nd amendment.....and much more, but im probably already banned from here.
My point is, people are all for control, until its one of THEIR issues at stake.
I say let the people have their outside area, just limit the live music. The bar says NO.

 

[dd57chevy]

My 1st thought was the 30gm pack was to make it more “affordable” to buyers.
It’s now AUD$105-110 per 30gm pack

I admit to being naive/ignorant of Assie laws/air travel ,etc , but you have previously indicated that you have traveled internationally .

What would happen if you bought a pound or two in , say , Kuala Lumpur ?

 

[georged]

Prohibition in the 1920s - 1933 in the USA was an abject failure with a huge rise in criminal activity.
Thank goodness the legislators saw sense in 1933.

Fundamentally different situation than tobacco, because alcoholic drinks can easily be made indoors by anyone with common & plentiful ingredients.

The production chain of tobacco products is much longer, and its essential ingredient requires acres of outdoor space to grow that is impossible to hide.

 

[OzPiper]

I admit to being naive/ignorant of Assie laws/air travel ,etc , but you have previously indicated that you have traveled internationally .

What would happen if you bought a pound or two in , say , Kuala Lumpur ?

Duty free tobacco allowance into Oz is 25gm (for ALL forms of tobacco).

If the total quantity is more than 25gm, then the TOTAL amount of tobacco will be taxed at AUD$2,159 per kilo for loose tobacco.
Unfortunately pipe tobacco is lumped in with RYO tobacco.

The tobacco excise is set to increase every 6 months .

 

[OzPiper]

It boggles my mind that a large number of people in the US do not see what's going on other places, and continue to vote for more regulations and greater control.
And they are the same ones who throw the word fascist around.
Its kind of funny that a local bar here is having their outside sitting/smoking/music area shut down by the city. The bar is located in downtown Jamestown NY. They have a petition going around, a change.org thing going, and they are raising hell.
The reason its being shut down is the live music and pot smoke is annoying people that live near there, and local businesses.
Im the last guy to limit rights, but I will say that a live band from 10pm-2am every night is a bit much.

Very much the case in Sydney, Oz as well.
The world is full of NIMBYs

 

[warren]

It boggles my mind that a large number of people in the US do not see what's going on other places, and continue to vote for more regulations and greater control.

Collectivism/Socialism is favored by probably a huge number of Americans these days. They see exactly where it is going and encourage such. Thankfully, the majority of them never cast a ballot. Ceding Constitutional Rights to our central government in favor of cradle to grave care, no individual responsibilities, is "freeing" for a lot of people. No worries about income. medical care, a roof over their heads, etc. is very attractive to many. It's just... so much easier than holding yourself responsible, making your own decisions, making your own way in life, with regard to training your kids, buying health insurance, looking after one's parents, and so forth. Simply turn all that over to the government. Just give them a bunch of your income and wash your hands of responsibility. An awful lot of our neighbors are perfectly content to live that way.

 

[dd57chevy]

I admit to being naive/ignorant of Assie laws/air travel ,etc , but you have previously indicated that you have traveled internationally .

What would happen if you bought a pound or two in , say , Kuala Lumpur ?

That was supposed to say Aussie !
No offense intended .

 

[OzPiper]

Keep in mind, no one is forcing us to smoke and burn our moneys up as it were. It's a choice we made.
So, we all have but two choices, quit smoking or pay the price. Prices are only gonna climb

Smoking for me is a life-style choice. Just like eating out and drinking wine.

I'm not a nic-head, so smoking on weekends will do me. This may change when I have more free time after I retire.

It's disposable income/discretionary spending.
Apart from a severe case of PAD for the 1st few years after getting back to pipes, pipe tobacco is so much cheaper than smoking cigars

 

[Sig]

Collectivism/Socialism is favored by probably a huge number of Americans these days. They see exactly where it is going and encourage such. Thankfully, the majority of them never cast a ballot. Ceding Constitutional Rights to our central government in favor of cradle to grave care, no individual responsibilities, is "freeing" for a lot of people. No worries about income. medical care, a roof over their heads, etc. is very attractive to many. It's just... so much easier than holding yourself responsible, making your own decisions, making your own way in life, with regard to training your kids, buying health insurance, looking after one's parents, and so forth. Simply turn all that over to the government. Just give them a bunch of your income and wash your hands of responsibility. An awful lot of our neighbors are perfectly content to live that way.

100% agreed.
Im nothing special, but I am "technically" a disabled veteran. In 2009 I left the Army through a German hospital after a 3 week coma and over 20 major surgeries. I came home and had several more surgeries.
Not for one second did I consider doing nothing. As soon as possible I was working. I was building my farm, and working 3 jobs. All things I had planned before the Army. In 2020, due to complications from 2009, I went into another coma, more surgeries, and months in the hospital....again. Again I went to work as soon as possible. It makes me sick to see these young, healthy people living off the system. And politicians promising more handouts, instead of more jobs.
I have an Amish neighbor who is one of the hardest workers I've known. He was born with 2 fingers on esch hand. Somehow he has raised 6 kids, ran his farm and greenhouse business for 30+ years. When asked why he doesn't ever ask for help, he asks "why would I ?"
My 32 year old niece is raising 6 kids on her own. She has 3 deadbeat dad's who do nothing. She is a traveling RN nurse, and never asks for help.
This is how most people used to be. But easy living, crap politics, and a bad diet have made people soft and nearly useless.
Ok, im done.

 

[georged]

Collectivism/Socialism is favored by probably a huge number of Americans these days. They see exactly where it is going and encourage such. Thankfully, the majority of them never cast a ballot. Ceding Constitutional Rights to our central government in favor of cradle to grave care, no individual responsibilities, is "freeing" for a lot of people. No worries about income. medical care, a roof over their heads, etc. is very attractive to many. It's just... so much easier than holding yourself responsible, making your own decisions, making your own way in life, with regard to training your kids, buying health insurance, looking after one's parents, and so forth. Simply turn all that over to the government. Just give them a bunch of your income and wash your hands of responsibility. An awful lot of our neighbors are perfectly content to live that way.

Exactly this ^^^^



Human brain development is limited by genetics, but formed by experience/environment. (The ages-old question "Is it nature or nurture?" has been shown to be not one or the other, but both)

Every new experience creates a new neural pathway---a fractal "tree branch"---which becomes permanent if used a sufficient number of times following its formation. Then, around age 20, that process stops. The tree is grown.

Let's see... what do kids who grew up being taken care of by layers of obligatory societal mechanisms want when they reach adulthood, do you suppose?

Indeed, what is the only situation they are capable of conceptualizing? The only thing that makes sense to them?

Couldn't be simpler.

Which makes the people who control and profit from those layers of societal mechanisms smile like nothing else.

 

[warren]

Well stated, clear and logical.