The Tobbacolypse: Would it Affect You at All?

[cosmicfolklore]

My sisters husband used to run 18 wheelers full of coke from Miami to Boston.

The big differences here is that one could probably sell off an 18 wheeler full of coke in a weekend in a single city back in the 80's. An 18 wheeler full of pipe tobacco might just be a decade's supply of the entirety of pipe tobacco made by MacBaren's and Stokkebye combined.

 

[Worknman]

Im getting close to 20 years worth. Not sure I want to buy more than that because at that point the quality of the tinned tobacco may have already peaked. I don't know that, but thats what I'm going with.

I don't believe it will ever be made illegal since hopefully the government is starting to come around to the fact that prohibition doesn't work. Its taken them 100 or so years to figure that out, but at least it's trending in that direction.

 

[anotherbob]

One thing about myself is I enjoy quality tobacco but I am not a connoisseur. If it's better then cigs I'll enjoy smoking it. I have my favorites which I enjoy more then others but there are only a handful of blends I couldn't finish and I could learn to love them if that's all that was available. The worst case scenario I have to start growing my own and living off of homemade snus and snuff. Which I've experimented with because before the pact act went through there seemed a real chance of no more snus or snuff being available and while not up to the quality I prefer I bet I could get it there with practice. And if tobacco was outlawed I bet homemade snus would become the main way it's enjoyed. Easier to cover up and do anywhere and almost any time.

 

[daveinlax]

I don't believe it will ever be made illegal

I believe you're right! I've always said it will be your wife or employer who will make you quit or your insurance provider will price you out.

 

[renfield]

It depends on how close to the speed of light I’m traveling and your relative frame of reference. Given the right conditions it may look to you that one tin of Christmas Cheer lasted me billions of years, and stayed in good condition the whole time. My cellar could last almost until the heat death of the universe.

The exception is Mixture 79, having to smoke a bowl of 79 seems like a billion years regardless of your frame of reference. Fortunately others quite enjoy the blend so more for them.

 

[olkofri]

I believe you're right! I've always said it will be your wife or employer who will make you quit or your insurance provider will price you out.

And then it will be made illegal.

Nowadays, the government's approach to things is that of a mop up instead of a full head-on charge. They're using the private sector to force their will down everyone's throats and once the remnant is meagre, then and only then will the gov't step in to regulate. Just like it happened with the facial diapers: it was Wal-mart that wouldn't let you in without one; when they got most to comply then the politicos enacted all-encompassing mandates.

 

[troyniss]

I calculated a few days ago how much I would need if I were to live until I was 90. At one bowl a day, with about a 3g bowl, I'd need 142lbs of tobacco (64.4kg) to last me. I have nowhere near that much. I don't know how much I have at the moment because over the last 1.5 years I've been out of the country, however I'm going to do a huge inventory catalog when I am home in May, then I can get a better number of what I have. I reckon I have somewhere in the range of 25 lbs at the moment.

 

[sablebrush52]

Im getting close to 20 years worth. Not sure I want to buy more than that because at that point the quality of the tinned tobacco may have already peaked. I don't know that, but thats what I'm going with.

I don't believe it will ever be made illegal since hopefully the government is starting to come around to the fact that prohibition doesn't work. Its taken them 100 or so years to figure that out, but at least it's trending in that direction.

Bingo! Smoking is addictive and can become an addiction, is not healthy for you and can kill you. And, I love smoking.

Prohibitions are counterproductive. Death by a thousand cuts, information that makes smoking less glamorous, pictures of rotting teeth and blackened lungs, all combine to effectively cut down on the desirability of smoking.

The cost to the US economy of tens of billions of dollars in lost productivity and increased healthcare costs is a reason why private industries favor smoking going away. Tax revenues don't make up for the economic cost of smoking. Smoking can severely impact your usefulness as a cog in the economic wheel.

All that said, a flat out ban, the fevered dream of paranoids here, there, and everywhere, is highly unlikely because it's unnecessary. Smoking is waning and will continue to do so. Make it less desirable, less convenient, less available, more expensive, in little steps, and it will eventually be highly marginalized if not eradicated. Less economic cost, more healthy cogs. What more could you ask for?

A 20 year supply is a good goal. Tobaccos can last much longer than that before they peak and croak out, but 20 years is a good age, by and large. After that, the results get dodgy. Tins fail, tobaccos fade, shit happens.

 

[mso489]

I think it may be missing the point to suppose that having a cellar that will last your lifetime and then some solves your "tobaccolypse" problem. It's not that you won't have a smoke. It's that the vigor and interest in the pipe community will diminish and fade. The lively conversation and ongoing creation of new blends is central to the enjoyment of pipe smoking. Though for most of us, pipe smoking is a solo activity, it has a social side that also keeps it interesting. Pipe shops, pipe clubs, pipe shows, and online conversation. Maybe swapping recipes for home mixes and such will fill part of the gap online. Maybe the regulatory energy will be diverted away by other more significant concerns. Like banned books, banned tobacco pipes might gain an appeal with college age people (maybe not just students) that could be significant. Tell them they can't, shouldn't, mustn't, and they might go looking for a pipe and leaf.

 

[sablebrush52]

I think it may be missing the point to suppose that having a cellar that will last your lifetime and then some solves your "tobaccolypse" problem. It's not that you won't have a smoke. It's that the vigor and interest in the pipe community will diminish and fade. The lively conversation and ongoing creation of new blends is central to the enjoyment of pipe smoking. Though for most of us, pipe smoking is a solo activity, it has a social side that also keeps it interesting. Pipe shops, pipe clubs, pipe shows, and online conversation. Maybe swapping recipes for home mixes and such will fill part of the gap online. Maybe the regulatory energy will be diverted away by other more significant concerns. Like banned books, banned tobacco pipes might gain an appeal with college age people (maybe not just students) that could be significant. Tell them they can't, shouldn't, mustn't, and they might go looking for a pipe and leaf.

I agree to a limited extent.

However, a lot of pipe smokers view their enjoyment of pipes and pipe tobaccos as a solitary pursuit, an opportunity for relaxed reflection and contemplation. Community doesn't really figure into the equation.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The word "community" bothers me. I think it's too close to "communism" for my liking.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I think it may be missing the point to suppose that having a cellar that will last your lifetime and then some solves your "tobaccolypse" problem. It's not that you won't have a smoke. It's that the vigor and interest in the pipe community will diminish and fade. The lively conversation and ongoing creation of new blends is central to the enjoyment of pipe smoking. Though for most of us, pipe smoking is a solo activity, it has a social side that also keeps it interesting. Pipe shops, pipe clubs, pipe shows, and online conversation. Maybe swapping recipes for home mixes and such will fill part of the gap online. Maybe the regulatory energy will be diverted away by other more significant concerns. Like banned books, banned tobacco pipes might gain an appeal with college age people (maybe not just students) that could be significant. Tell them they can't, shouldn't, mustn't, and they might go looking for a pipe and leaf.

This and other forums are a microscopic representation of the pipe smoking population. To most, it is just smoking. If I had to guess though, sadly, I don't many of those are building large cellats.

 

[rmpeeps]

I’m good for as long as I last.
I’ve been told I’m “unfuckable”, more than once.

 

[Ryszard]

I'm good for around 10 years with 2-3 bowls per day, if I cut down a bit then even longer. I'm slowly and steadily adding to my cellar but am not in a rush at all. I highly doubt tobacco consumption will be outlawed as it's a very lucrative business for companies and governments alike. Plus after decades of getting people hooked on the stuff, I doubt anyone can really pull the plug from one day to another without an expensive public health concept for the tens of thousands having to go cold-turkey on their beloved cigarettes. Before any of that will happen I'm guessing the taxes will increase slowly but steadily so smoking will become more of a niche activity for people who are willing to spend the money.

 

[Ryszard]

As much as I love pipe smoking and the community around it, it's nothing I absolutely couldn't get over if it were to come to an unexpected end for whatever reason.

 

[ray47]

I have enough pipes & tobacco to last me until I check out of this world. I’m not concerned for others because I personally don’t believe that pipe tobacco will ever be outlawed.

 

[SoddenJack]

My sisters husband used to run 18 wheelers full of coke from Miami to Boston.

I believe that’s referred to as a “Hunter Biden 3-Day Weekend” on the streets.

 

[SoddenJack]

I have enough pipes & tobacco to last me until I check out of this world. I’m not concerned for others because I personally don’t believe that pipe tobacco will ever be outlawed.

You need to remember that modern politicians are spineless parasites by their very nature and outright banning it would take some degree of courage. They’re likely to chip away at it by raising taxes on tobacco that would make it prohibitively expensive, ban internet/mail order sales, ban smoking within 500 yards of a residential building, restrict healthcare/insurance for smokers, etc.

This of course will be done under for your own good, and think about the children. This will be done with thunderous support.

 

[olkofri]

hey’re likely to chip away at it by raising taxes on tobacco that would make it prohibitively expensive, ban internet/mail order sales,

Yup. Make it so that you can't buy it with your pittance of a UBI, or lock down your bank account if it processes a payment for a tobacco sale.

 

[warren]

You need to remember that modern politicians are spineless parasites by their very nature

Really? Even the ones who have served in combat theaters? Wow!