Thoughts From Millennials or Younger

[AroEnglish]

I’ve been thinking about our hobby and have been wondering how to attract younger people to it. I’d love to hear thoughts from people in these age groups on what you’ve done (or what you think can be done) in order to grow the hobby.

While I’m hoping to get input from the younger crowd, I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts. Also, let’s not have this turn into a young people suck/old people suck thread. We all suck pipes.

 

[midcentry]

I just turned 26, and picked up the pipe early in 2020. The main reason was because a buddy of mine had bought one, and rarely, if ever, smoked it, but it intrigued me. I was always interested in the pipe, probably stemming from watching the Lord of the Rings movies all the time when i was younger. Covid probably helped a bit too. With all that extra time on my hands, all i wanted to do was learn more about different pipes and tobacco. I spent much of my time reading books, listening to podcasts, and watching YT videos related to pipes, all while trying out new blends and figuring out what I liked. Podcasts like The Country Squire appealed to me as a beginner, and the realization that there was such a large community surrounding this hobby was awesome and something i never expected!

Something that Brian Levine says often in his podcast is "Smoke your pipe in public, show people what a pipe smoker looks like" and I fully agree. I think the more young people that see others smoking in public, the more likely they will be to dive into the hobby.

I also think that we need a bit of a resurgence of pipe smoking in movies/TV. You see it here and there, and i actually think it is becoming more common with all the historical shows/movies coming out, but nothing on the level of LOTR.

 

[Lumbridge]

I'd not encourage anyone who doesn't already have an interest in tobacco to start. I have a friend who smokes cigars, and I've been trying to get him into pipes. I say try to convert current users of other forms of tobacco or vapers (vaping is probably just as harmful, if not more harmful than tobacco use). Pipe smoking is probably the least harmful and most enjoyable form of tobacco use, albeit with a bit of a learning curve.

 

[warren]

If a prospective pipe smoker asks question, I'll answer. If someone advises he's contemplating taking up smoking, I'll argue against his burning money selfishly and needlessly. If persistent, I might take him to the local smoke shop and assist in his initial purchases. But, that's only if he persuades me he can comfortably afford the habit. I worry more about the young generation's ability to manage their moneys and not becoming a burden on society. than the smoking part.

 

[seaweed]

I’m 34 and started smoking a pipe the day I turned 18, so I was obviously chomping at the bit to get started.

I have gotten some of my friends to be occasional smokers simply by offering them a cob and some easy smoking blends to try out. Some tried it and never wanted to try again, most only smoked with me (I’ve moved and lost contact with many of these people, so I don’t know if they ever smoke), and a couple took it up and puff on their own now.

It seems our generation is a pretty wary of tobacco, so I don’t really press it if someone doesn’t already seem interested. No idea how gen z will carry the torch, but it seems they’re even more averse to tobacco than millennials.

 

[S.A. DeVault]

I’m 27. I’m not sure if I’d necessarily encourage the men in my circle who don’t use tobacco already to start smoking a pipe. I unfortunately started smoking cigarettes as a teenager, a pack a day smoker by age 18. A pipe is a much better, and much more enjoyable way of consuming tobacco. I love smoking my pipes and talking about it with other people who do as well. I think that smoking a pipe is a positive daily experience for us who do it, and many great authors and other artists have created beautiful things, helped by puffing on their favourite briar. Something would be missing from the world if pipe smoking died out. I’ll recommend switching to a pipe to every smoker I know, but like others said above, I don’t think I would feel right in trying to convince a man who has no relationship with tobacco to create one.

 

[Waning Embers]

I started 32 years ago at age 17 and I actually dissuade them from it. As innocuous as many make it sound by calling smoking a hobby, it's an expensive addiction that can cause serious consequences on health. If they're already smoking, chewing, etc and ask questions about pipe smoking specifically, I'll answer as best I can but do let them know about expense and rising costs.

 

[sardonicus87]

For what it's worth, I first got into pipes when I was 20 years old. A guy that went to the same college as me and who was in his late 20's or early 30's at the time asked me if I'd ever tried them or would be interested after he saw that I rolled my own cigarettes. I didn't have the time or money to invest in the hobby so I dropped it and decided I would pick it up later. But, he helped me learn, which was big in helping me to want to get into them, and let me use his pipes for a year.

Flash forward to a year ago or whenever it was I joined, I'm 36 now but a guy I know in his early 30's who smoked cigars decided to get into pipes after watching the Lord of the Rings movies and seeing them in the B&M where he was buying his cigars. He showed me he got a pipe and I decided to get back into it. I had actually been considering picking it back up as a hobby for a good 2 years at that point.

In fact, what few people I have run across that even have awareness or occasionally use or have tried a pipe in my age-range, at least that I know of (which granted is only 3 people), they all tried it after seeing LotR.

But I think the real way to get the younger crowd involved is as already stated—convert those that are already interested in and/or use tobacco. I'd say particularly if they're into cigars. But it won't be easy in general, since you don't often see pipe smoking in public anymore, awareness is low. I think many people even when they see pipes in popular media don't give it a second thought. Until I started smoking pipe, I didn't even notice in The Witcher that Tissaia smoked a pipe. There's only 2-3 scenes where she does and it's not super prominent (they're shorter scenes).

 

[S.A. DeVault]

If a prospective pipe smoker asks question, I'll answer. If someone advises he's contemplating taking up smoking, I'll argue against his burning money selfishly and needlessly. If persistent, I might take him to the local smoke shop and assist in his initial purchases. But, that's only if he persuades me he can comfortably afford the habit. I worry more about the young generation's ability to manage their moneys and not becoming a burden on society. than the smoking part.

Pipe smoking is usually not a cheap habit. The days are mostly gone where good pipes are cheap, and a pipe smoking man has only one or two OTC blends that he smokes. I love (and hate) reading reviews that have been written about the OTC blends, PA, Half and Half, Captain Black etc., and marvel at how many of them reek with snobbishness, and they never miss a chance to tell the world how the 70-100 dollar tin they snagged is what you should smoke instead. I love trying new blends, some are expensive, but it’s an occasional treat. Meanwhile, if someone looks down on my Peterson filled with Half and Half or my Corncob filled with Captain Black, so be it

 

[JOHN72]

I have a new coworker, 38 years old. He knows I smoke and drink. He says that's old people's stuff. I tell him, listen to the old people, and maybe someday you can be less of an idiot than you are now. I tell him to learn to listen, and to think before he speaks. I'm on my way to 51 years old. I agree with veteran Chasing Embers, few like him can give good tobacco advice.

 

[Waning Embers]

I love (and hate) reading reviews that have been written about the OTC blends, PA, Half and Half, Captain Black etc., and marvel at how many of them reek with snobbishness

What's really funny is when you find out that the ones doing it haven't been smoking long enough to know how to smoke aromatics and they have no idea that aromatic sales are what is keeping the pipe tobacco market alive.

 

[yanoJL]

I'm the grandson of a Cuban immigrant, so cigars, not pipes, were the only form of tobacco consumption visible in my family. Yet, cigars never caught on with me. I've tried a few, but never found the same level of enjoyment that I find in pipes. So I slept right through the boost in cigar popularity that took place in the 90s.

What happened? How did cigars become so popular across different generations in the 90s? And what would have to happen for pipes to experience a similar popularity boost?

@midcentry you brought up a few good points in you comment; not the least of which is Brian Levine's advice to "be seen" with your pipe in public. Unfortunately, the laws where I live are strictly prohibitive, and lunting is, in almost all public places, not allowed. So I feel like there would first have to be a change in restrictive laws before public pipe smoking could return.

Final thought: I would like pipes and pipe tobacco to be separated, somehow, from cigarettes in the eyes of law makers. Unlike cigarettes, pipe smokers don't litter spent butts on streets. And (opinion) pipe tobacco smoke doesn't produce an offensive smell, like cigarettes. But as long as tobacco consumption laws group pipes and cigarettes together, we will be subjected to the same restrictive legislation.

 

[sardonicus87]

I'm the grandson of a Cuban immigrant, so cigars, not pipes, were the only form of tobacco consumption visible in my family. Yet, cigars never caught on with me. I've tried a few, but never found the same level of enjoyment that I find in pipes. So I slept right through the boost in cigar popularity that took place in the 90s.

What happened? How did cigars become so popular across different generations in the 90s? And what would have to happen for pipes to experience a similar popularity boost?

@midcentry you brought up a few good points in you comment; not the least of which is Brian Levine's advice to "be seen" with your pipe in public. Unfortunately, the laws where I live are strictly prohibitive, and lunting is, in almost all public places, not allowed. So I feel like there would first have to be a change in restrictive laws before public pipe smoking could return.

Final thought: I would like pipes and pipe tobacco to be separated, somehow, from cigarettes in the eyes of law makers. Unlike cigarettes, pipe smokers don't litter spent butts on streets. And (opinion) pipe tobacco smoke doesn't produce an offensive smell, like cigarettes. But as long as tobacco consumption laws group pipes and cigarettes together, we will be subjected to the same restrictive legislation.

Well, at least in America, at some point (best I can gather, wasn't alive then), pipes became for the "nerds and brainiacs" and cigars became what BAMF "real men" and heros smoked. At least in movies, it's maybe easier to smoke a cigar while using both arms to hold what's supposed to be a mounted Gatling gun, and that might have had something to do with it.

And for sure, cigars aren't as easy to pick up as cigarettes, but they're easier to pick up than a pipe. And look at how many threads on here about questions with regard to smoking, selection, maintenance, packing, etc. are the result of some some degree of over-thinking. There's a lot of techniques just related to loading a pipe, and that alone can be overwhelming to a newbie.

Which brings me back to the mentoring. Pipe smoking doesn't have to be super complicated. And if someone is set up for success as the start, they're likely to keep at it. Unless someone really wants to smoke pipe, if their first few times suck, they'll probably drop it. A mentor can help them get a simple start for the best chance of enjoyment, and to help someone not get overwhelmed. That's part of why these forums are great (people here do a good job at mentoring newbies).

 

[mso489]

There are enough health questions about smoking that I hesitate to promote it to young people, even into their twenties. If an adult has already decided to smoke and asks for advice, I'd try to be helpful unless it looked like they were overdoing it or had other health problems like asthma or other respiratory problems.

In terms of promoting pipe smoking, everything is online now. People who are visible online are called influencers because they have some established appeal to an audience that is persuaded in some way by them. Usually these are people of about the same age as the "target" group.

I think seeing people who are appealing for some additional reason -- musicians, actors, sports figures, media personalities, etc. -- provides the prompt for people to imitate them.

I would agree that smoking in public without getting reprimanded or criticized is probably a good "ad" for pipe smoking, where that can be done.

Even older people, who aren't usually role models for the young, might have some influence, for having some sage opinions or traditional habits that might seem intriguing.

Mostly I wouldn't want to feel like I was corrupting the young, or be seen as doing that. There are other ways I would encourage younger people if I had the influence to do so.

 

[OzPiper]

I started smoking a pipe hen I was an undergraduate in the 1970s when there was no stigma attached to smoking.
In part it was the “cool” factor, but it was really to get away from cigarettes.

Both of my sons are anti-smoking.
I wouldn’t want to convert them

 

[jpberg]

You want to smoke a pipe or you don’t.
There’s a certain percentage of bearded flat cap wearing stooges who find someone on their feed smoking a pipe and think it would be a great accessory.

Or put another way, I have no interest in making more pipe smokers.

 

[sardonicus87]

Even then, I wouldn't go for "converting" someone from one form of tobacco to another. Be careful about it, like if you tell a cigarette smoker that they should "smoke pipes instead, it's less of a health risk", that could come off as preachy, condescending, etc.

Better to take the approach of "have you ever tried pipes?" like a conversation starter and leave it at that. Once they're aware, if they have questions, then answer them. Kind of a "lead by example" approach rather than proselytizing—let them come to you, if they choose.

 

[Waning Embers]

And for sure, cigars aren't as easy to pick up as cigarettes, but they're easier to pick up than a pipe.

Other than the complexity of RYO cigarettes, I never had an issue with pipes, cigars, or cigarettes. For me the use of each was extremely similar. Then again, I started with RYO so it may have made picking up the others easier.

 

[sablebrush52]

Pipe smoking is usually not a cheap habit. The days are mostly gone where good pipes are cheap, and a pipe smoking man has only one or two OTC blends that he smokes. I love (and hate) reading reviews that have been written about the OTC blends, PA, Half and Half, Captain Black etc., and marvel at how many of them reek with snobbishness, and they never miss a chance to tell the world how the 70-100 dollar tin they snagged is what you should smoke instead. I love trying new blends, some are expensive, but it’s an occasional treat. Meanwhile, if someone looks down on my Peterson filled with Half and Half or my Corncob filled with Captain Black, so be it

Good pipes are where you find them. One of my best smokers is a humble Brebbia Avanti that I picked up for $2 on eBay. Price and performance don't always correlate.

Compared to coffin nails and cigars, pipe smoking can very affordable. It just depends on what floats your boat. If your thing is what is considered "high end", $15,000 Bo Nordh pipes and $1000 a tin unicorns, yes, it can be ridiculously expensive. If your thing is "whatever makes for happiness" pipe smoking could be very affordable, depending on what makes you happy.

One of the benefits of age is being able to truly and deeply not give a shit what others think. So when others disparage my choices, I truly do not care. If your bliss is Borkum Rif, or Holly's Non Plus Ultra in a plastic Chinese pipe with three screens welded inside of it, rock on!

 

[minerLuke]

In regard to cost, pipe smoking doesn't have to be ridiculously expensive. At least if live (or have access to) a moderate tobacco tax jurisdiction.

An aspiring or even veteran pipe smoker could make a lot of enjoyable smoke with a couple of cobs or Dr Grabows and a 12 oz bag of Smokers Pride or equivalent. Total cost maybe $50-60 ? Of course as most of us know, the world of pipe smoking is far more expansive than that! But just making some tasty smoke doesn't have to be terribly expensive.


Like some others have mentioned, I don't recommend pipe tobacco to non smokers but if they persist in asking questions I would try and answer them. As a former cigarette smoker I try not to preach to them but when they inevitably start whining to me about how they really should/want/mean to quit the coffin nails I will suggest the pipe to them as an alternative. I don't think a single cig smoker has taken my suggestion. When they continue to whine to me about how they should/want/intend to quit the cigarettes, I usually tell them I quit cigs cold turkey and to stop being a little bit ch and quit already. They usually leave me alone after that.