Tobacco Samples at Shows

[deepspringfarm]

So, if I am correct, tobacco samples will be outlawed at pipes shows. I was wondering if there was a way around this. This vexes me because this is one of my favorite aspects of the pipes shows, to be able to try a bunch of blends that I wouldn't necessarily lay down the money to buy a whole tin. I have found many wonderful tobaccos this way.

Anyway, I was wondering if there would be a way to buy a tobacco pass or something like that at the door. This pass would essentially be a purchasing of tobacco samples and they wouldn't necessarily be free. Maybe all the money collected for the tobacco passes could then be distributed among those giving out samples. Or maybe there is some way to get weekend pass to join the local pipe club for the day, thus everybody there would be part of the club. I remember when I was in texas at a pub/restaurant, to get a beer I needed to join a club there (I think it was $3 or something). So, for the Raleigh area show, you could join TAPS for the weekend and maybe that would be a way to work around these regulations.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[winton]

Good question.

 

[pagan]

Great idea, lets ask Big Brother

 

[pappymac]

deepspringfarm - I remember those days in Texas but it was only in certain counties I think. Some of the "clubs" I went into got around that by charging you a $3 membership fee and writing your name in their membership book. Then they gave you your first drink free.
I see a possible loophole in the no free sample rule. If I was a vendor at a pipe show, I would sell my samples for 25¢ each. It wouldn't be a free sample then.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Had the same thought, pappy, though my price would be a nickel. (Though tying it to an approximate pro-rata value of the tobacco would be safer.)

 

[mso489]

Before the whole FDA regulatory question, I thought there was some dampening of tobacco sales (the sales, not the samples) at pipe shows. It went from one of the featured activities to a much more subdued trade, seemingly based on aged tins. This relates to some earlier piece of regulation or legislation. If I have this right -- and I'm not really versed in it -- just shifting from samples to some kind of sales might not help.