Who Will Remember Pipes a Century from Now?

[sablebrush52]

People may forget tobacco, except as a curiosity. But given the rise of cannabis, pipes of some sort will still be around.
Truth to tell, I have my collection and my stash and honestly don't much care about the future over enjoying a nice smoke right now.

 

[ashdigger]

As long as people are alive, people will smoke. Just don't make "butter" out of your baccy. But if you do, remember, butane is heavier than air and the parting arc on your refrigerator will be the parting arc of existence.

 

[huntertrw]

"Who Will Remember Pipes A Century From Now?"
A more salient question was posed by the late author Jean Shepherd who asked, "Can you imagine 4,000 years passing, and you're not even a memory ? Think about it, friends. It's not just a possibility. It is a certainty.''

 

[warren]

Four thousand years? For most of us, those not in history books, six months at the outside. :rofl: Well, except for those we stiffed with an IOU.

 

[jmatt]

The genetics, growing, curing, & processing of quality cannabis for legal dispensaries is quite intensive, highly developed & constantly evolving. My wife's college friend work for a lab that extracts, processes, & analyzes THC & CBD (cannabidiols - the actual medically active chemicals) for non-combustible products.
Yeah, anyone can grow ditch weed or even tobacco, but skill is needed to produce quality products from either weed.

I couldn't agree more with everything you posted.

 

[tinsel]

Fifty years from now, will there still be those enjoying a warm pipe in their hand?

Well, at my current age, with a little luck I might still have another 50 years to live. If I'm still around in 50 years, I'll almost certainly be enjoying at least an occasional bowl, FDA willing of course ... ::

 

[Chasing Embers]

Someone posted, not long ago, a link to an article about the discovery of a camp site out west that dated back more than 12,000 years. Amongst the artifacts found were ancient tobacco seeds. Humans and tobacco have been linked for that amount of time, even if the FDA has their way, and pipes are forgotten, I have a glimmer of hope that tobacco will find its way back in one form or another. Ah, here it is.
http://westerndigs.org/ice-age-hunting-camp-replete-with-bird-bones-and-tobacco-found-in-utah-desert/

 

[dottiewarden]

Great article Captain. Now what would Pease pay to get hold of some of those seeds. We could be smoking a 12,000 year old plant in our pipes.
In all seriousness though, this confirms that man's relationship with tobacco is far deeper than whatever the Anti-tobacco Crusaders want to make it out to be.
We are a very privileged elite to be continuing this truly ancient tradition. Smoke on brothers!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Those are probably Nicotiana rustica seeds. Our distant ancestors were smoking some powerful stuff!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeah, anyone can grow ditch weed or even tobacco, but skill is needed to produce quality products from either weed.

For freakin' centuries, men with no college, most with no high school have grown tobacco and cured it in their barns. I grew up in it watching and helping other men who grew up in it. There is no rocket science involved. It probably takes more science in keeping a tractor running. And, for hundreds of years we have had "quality" tobaccos. The main reason more people don't get involved in growing their own tobacco is "pure and simple" laziness.

Yes, yes, we have some fine tobacconist mixing and blending. But,. there are also chefs that do the same with food, and many, many people can cook just as good and sometimes better food than five star chefs. And, if a person tried, they might find that they can blend the cured tobacco better than a five star tobacconist.

The notion that all of this is some kind of "out of reach" process for the average Joe just makes me laugh.

Why, I've tried some blends jitterbug on these very forums has made, and they are way better than most of what you can buy. Some times home cooking is the champagne wishes and caviar dreams that the five star folks are reaching for. :wink:

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Heck, most of the work that goes into a blend was done by a farmer, and the tobacconist that blends these things has no idea what all the farmer has done. They just buy the cured leaf and mix it. Just as a chef may have no idea what all was done to a tomato or cow before making it into a dish. Not to disparage the chef, but to give some kudos to the dirt farmer.

 

[jmatt]

Cosmic, you're missing my point. Of course people CAN grow tobacco. But to your point, they're too lazy. To which I agree. I just said it differently. I think we are both saying it will take more effort than people are willing to put in.
As you even note, the blender probably doesn't know half of all the things the farmer did to make his tobacco as good as it is. Exactly. Most people can plant a couple rows of corn from a packet from Lowes too. That doesn't make them Monsanto though.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Oh yeh, I thought that I was arguing with Cossackjack... well not arguing... discussing.

Oh, and Nate. It doesn't look like we are arguing, but deep inside we both know that I am right. ::

 

[iamn8]

Actually Cos, I believe deep down you're all kindsa wrong, but your genetics aren't your fault.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

...see what I mean. He is love with me.

 

[mso489]

Tobacco farmers are highly educated in tobacco farming. You grow up with it and the teachers of weather and the fortunes of the market are severe. Farming is among the riskiest and most dangerous of careers along with mining, fishing, and soldiering.

 

[warren]

I'm lazy because I don't grow tobacco?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ha ha, yes Warren. After a life of serving and protecting us citizens, you are obligated to farm for us now. ::

 

[deathmetal]

Fifty years from now, will there still be those enjoying a warm pipe in their hand?

Yes. Some things are eternal.

 

[stranger]

All that is old becomes new again. I think we will see the roller-coaster of popularity, with it gradually becoming less and less popular. I would like to think that we will never see a total demise of the briar.