Will I Have to Give Up the Pipe?
- Thread starter numbersix
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
Leaving the country won't help. For one thing, where will you go? I think you'll find that the US, even if tobacco is illegal, is still better than most alternatives. More to the point, it doesn't matter because the industries that produce our pipe tobacco will be driven out of business. Sure, you might be able to pay $100 for some tobacco some dude grew in his backyard, but I doubt that's going to be all that attractive an option.
Guys, we live in a society where you can be arrested without cause, everything you say or do can be monitored/recorded, and where the private sector is even less respectful of privacy than the government. And we have gone along with every single step of it --- it's not like it was forced on us.
Me? I'm stocking up in the hopes that once a week or month I can still enjoy a pipe into my old age. Maybe.
Guys, we live in a society where you can be arrested without cause, everything you say or do can be monitored/recorded, and where the private sector is even less respectful of privacy than the government. And we have gone along with every single step of it --- it's not like it was forced on us.
Me? I'm stocking up in the hopes that once a week or month I can still enjoy a pipe into my old age. Maybe.
This is my big worry about the hobby, I'm not yet 40 and I want to keep enjoying this into my golden years. I think it's less and less likely that will happen
I say you're all lucky if you are older than 40, me being 26 I really don't stand a chance of having a stockpile to last me until my final days. By the time I can afford to stock up significantly prices will already be higher than they are today. Hopefully the estate tobacco market will be booming by then.
Still, as someone who grew up in the "just say NO!" years, I would not have predicted seeing two states attempting to legalize marijuana just a couple of decades later. The tobacco companies overreached with their ad campaigns and bogus science, and now it's the other sides' turn - see the Penn & Teller "Bull#$%@" episode where they take a look at the numbers behind the second-hand smoke scare, and then look up the studies cited... which I bought into right up until about last week.
I don't think the $5 bowl is around the corner, but changes are coming for sure. Today's NY Times writes that the internet sales tax bill will probably pass. That's an extra 9% over here. The state tobacco taxes are probably next for internet sales. A $20 small can is probably in the near future.
I don't have nearly enough money to stock up. My state is pretty anti-smoking as it is. Also to get a better discount on my insurance I've given up the pipe for the month of May to ensure I test absolutely negative for nicotine. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that they are testing for it in 2013 when the discount wot even take effect until 2015. They pretty much want everyone to be an Olympian athlete to get the best discount.
While I'm not looking forward to the Internet tax I can't complain, with a little over 6% sales tax.
While I'm not looking forward to the Internet tax I can't complain, with a little over 6% sales tax.
Our state sales tax is 8.9% with tobacco and liquor higher.
I was so depressed with this thread I went out and bought a bottle of Jameson's to go with my last bowl when I run out of tobacco.
I was so depressed with this thread I went out and bought a bottle of Jameson's to go with my last bowl when I run out of tobacco.
Pipe tobacco producers (and consumers!) coattails better be closely tied to those of the cigar lobby. They seem to have some clout and have produced results. Without their support, we're in trouble with miniscule numbers vs. cigars.
I'd hate to see pipe smoking become a rich man's sport. Reminds me of the high end cigar culture. Hope it doesn't come to that.
Being an Independent Insurance Agent and Agency Owner for 41 years for all lines of insurance, I am horrified at my group insurance carriers that promote and reward businesses with anti-smoking incentives, tests, warranty statements and conditional policy language! I advise my group clients to simply decline those offers unless they and their employees all agree. I am personally offended by any insurance company pressuring an employer or employee as to their health habits or tobacco use. But, it is here to stay. I pay more for my life and health insurance because I am a tobacco user. It used to be that if you smoked a pipe or cigars, you were considered in the non-smoker classification as long as you did not smoke cigaretttes. Those days are long gone forever!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Even if prices go to 30.00 a tin, that will mean a 4 gram bowl will be 2.40 for an hour an a half of smoking pleasure. Now with bulk prices, if it goes to 90 a pound for stuff that sells for 30 today, the price will be 79 cents a bowl. These prices when you compare them to cigars or cigarettes are still pretty cheap. I believe it will be the tin market that gets decimated and we will see many blends go the way of the do do and the bulk segment will continue to do ok. I would recommend that the younger smokers or smokers on a budget, should begin sampling bulk tobacco's so they can find ones they like so when prices increase, they can stock up on the more affordable bulks.
- Status