A Better Pipe Smoking Community

how do we get rid of billionaire politicians who buy their elections in order to further their own idiotic agendas?

Bloomberg is the same cat who wants a fellow to register his replica flint lock rifle as a firearm, even though the law clearly states such a rifle is exempt.

Time for everybody to go find an uncharted island so we can live in freedom. Again.

Amen brother. Amen

...I've been touting to everyone on this Forum what is coming to an end. That is, our ability to buy our favorite pipe tobacco and smoke our pipes. I have been amused at some of the responses stating that this won't apply to us! Even when I offered source documents, some of our members have been in denial.

Make no mistake about it, Prohibition is the plan and will eventually be the result of both Federal and State legislation. I have made up my mind that I will not vote for any politician local, state or federal that has voted to eliminate my rights to smoke my pipe and buy tobacco. The sad truth is, I may not be voting in future elections. So be it! I am pissed!

When I did all my reporting to members regarding the Federal Act, I really had no idea that the States would get the jump on the Feds with taxes and restrictions. I must admit it took me totally by surprise. But, it happened and continues to happen.

Yes, if you want to smoke your favorite blends you had better be stocking up now. The end is in site. Gradullay, more retailers and e-tailers will be gone. Then the manufacturers will be going out of business as well. It is entirely possible that our favorites like McClelland and C&D will not be around a few years from now. That stark reality has been pointed out to me by none other than Craig Tarler (C&D President). He gives it about four years with the escalating Federal fees and elimination of aromatics that WILL take place. It is LAW.

I have been buying at least five pounds per month for some time now. I buy direct from C&D for a complete selection and one B&M that I want to support. MarsCigars gets an order once in a while, too. Price increases will be very dramatic in the not too distant future, as well. Now is the time to buy!

This is all very sad as we may eventually have no Forum either! Or maybe, we'll be discussing things not related to tobacco and pipes!

I'm sure I don't need to remind anybody that regardless of what you think about Bloomberg (and I try to think about him as little as possible) he put the NYC anti-smoking ban into effect, which, unlike earlier bans became the basis for legislation international legislation that has some of us thinking about emigrating to Cuba to enjoy our freedoms, which might be the most absurd phrase I've ever typed.

A ban on flavored tobacco -- which I imagine will exclude menthol, and thus most snuff -- is far more palatable, legislatively, to most people than an outright ban. It is quite foreseeable that it will be followed _quickly_ by a series of legislation in enough key states in the next year (say, California, New England, etc.) that the distribution of aromatic tobaccos all but impractical economically, at least for B&M shops (I've heard Cpt. Bob use a four year timeframe, which is now ticking towards 2012). And aromatics form the overwhelming basis of the pipe market; you may not smoke Peaches & Cream but when it becomes widely illegal, Escudo's going to be a lot harder to get too.

Of course, hoarding is the answer here, and then the development of what might be a black (or grey) market. Which is _surely_ the most absurd phrase I've ever typed.

...according to Craig Tarler 70% of all pipe tobacco uses some form of flavor agents that will be eliminated for certain according to the Federal Act that has been placed into law. It's just going to take some time for the Feds to "ramp-up" to speed. But, they surely will!

I have to agree (strongly) with you both. Some form of legislation will happen very quickly & outlaw the way we currently buy tobacco. I believe etailer purchases are illegal in Washington. As you know, South Africa banned etail purchases & postage of tobacco. It's not coming, it's here already. Five pounds a month is something good to aim at. Over the past two years I've almost accomplished that. Get it while it's affordable & while you can. The recent stockouts of favourites is a sure indication that pipe smokers globally are actively hoarding.

are stuck with trying to figure out how to grow our own. I have one pound container - a tin I found at an antique flea market. It is dry as tinder and I am trying to devise ways of reintroducing moisture and make it palatable.

Of course, I am sure they will outlaw growing tobacco.

Whatever happened to "taxation with out representation"? I sure don't feel represented. This extends beyond tobacco, since I am a conservative (who knew?!) living in a statist district. Indiana's two senators in theory cancel each other out (one Dem, one Republican) but the Republican is a RINO (Repub In Name Only) as he has supported some very statist positions. Tobacco being one of them.

Non smokers better be watching the abuse of pipe smokers and such, because as soon as that revenue source is dried up they will target other things such as soft drinks and Big Macs (oh wait, they already have... ) They're after my gun, they're after my burger and they're after my pipe. How soon before they come for my house because it is not fair that I own my own property and the lazy bum down the street does not!

That like with the prohibition of alcohol in the 20's and 30's, it won't last forever. I'm just trying to be optimistic here (while I still buy mass quantities of tobacco to hoard).

The Fed law in regards to flavoring, I believe, has enough wiggle room to escape the pipe tobacco market. I may be wrong, but again, I'm keeping a positive (not denial) attitude.

The NYC legislation is surely ridiculous. I would not be surprised to see a challenge to this, and potentially it being overturned. What you have to keep in mind is that what Bloomberg did is take one of the largest cities in the US and essentially, prematurely cut it off the "tobacco tax" rolls for the feds and the state of NY. The feds can say all they want as well as the state government, but they are NOT going to be happy about this MAJOR loss in revenue as a result of the Bloomberg legislation. We are not talking about a smoking ban in bars here folks, we are talking about Bloomberg taking money out of the feds and the states pockets. So, IMO, when the challenge (that will likely happen) makes it to the appeals court, I don't see it surviving.

Ya gotta follow the flow of money on this one, I think he made a major faux pas with this legislation, and is gonna piss off a lot of the big shots in the federal and state government. They may not say so publicly, but let's see how it pans out.

... until the New York "fat ass" cigar smoking politicians discover that the "fat ass" cigars they smoke have an element of casing added to them, as well!

From what I have read and what I have been told by those in the "know", the Federal process of elimination of flavoring in loose tobacco begins with the requirement for companies like C&D to hire outside consultants to analyze their blends and flavors in the required format for presentation to the Feds as required under the Act. I am told this process will result in a tremendous amount of fees to the manufacturer both Federal and Private. The result will be the same, either way. The Feds plan to eliminate all flavoring of tobacco products other than menthol. No exception is within the Law as it stands. Aromatic tobaccos will no longer exist. As a result, neither will many manufacturer's of tobacco. The Law has passed and is on the books. What remains is implementation. The Feds are notoriosly slow. As such, we have a limited window of opportunity because when it does eventually take place, the results will be swift and without a doubt, extremely effective. We won't have a "work-around" by ordering from overseas because those manufacturer's must abide by the same law in order to sell their products in the U.S.A.. Already, imports are slowing from what I have seen.

Consider the local retail scene. I visited a popular high volume Pharmacy/Convenience store chain today. You may have heard of it... Walgreen's. "The World of Perfect" as their commercials state. Our local Walgreen's has eliminated "all" tobacco products including cigar and pipe tobacco. The employee said this came down from the top and will probably be the same all over America. He reassured me that they will still sell lighters.

I then visited another popular Shopko Express chain. They have eliminated all but six selections of ciggs!

My source of information is primarily what I read, what I observe, and Craig Tarler.

I won't attempt to make things sound "possibly better" than what the Law has prescribed. They will implement this Federal Law.

Prohibition of alcohol did not work before and I am confident about one thing, it will not work this time for tobacco, either. To weather this storm, I need lots of tobacco now, while I can get what I want and at a price that assuredly will be less than if I wait.

There are only two certainties with this whole mess.

1.) Pipe tobacco will become more and more expensive as time goes by.

2.) Pipe tobacco choices will become limited, quantites restricted and outlets scarce.

I am a "glass is half-full" kind of guy rather than the "glass is half empty". However, this glass is badly cracked and leaking at a rate I can hardly believe. The Federal Act isn't even ramped-up to operational status yet! Retailers and E-tailers are dropping out on a regular basis before the "real" storm hits shore.

I was told by one politician that the reason the States are jumping in ahead of the Federal Act is very simple. "The States want their piece of the pie because the pie is going to disappear!"

Based on what I see every day, how can I possibly disagree with his conclusion?

and am going to smoke my pipe. This is all very sad as it is a loss of rights. Not what I served my country in the service to see happen. We need a pipe smoking president really soon!

You can bet the politicians have already found a way to exempt their personal favorites. Didn't Kennedy before he banned the smoking of Cuban cigars? For the uneducated, the answer is YES. He accumulated a lifetime of cigars before he made his edict. He never dreamed his life would be so short. Don't think for a moment that the pols will suffer for any of their sins. (Throw them out of office and their "retirement" is as much as they are making now)
Didn't Ohama say that he was "perfectly satisfied with his health care insurance and wouldn't want to change. Why do you think that is?

It looks like this is currently only in New York City... Not that it makes this better but for the time being there isn't anything on the Federal level in regards to pipes or cigars.

I might sound crazy for saying it but I think a total ban on tobacco is just what these idiots need to do to themselves. I don't think it would last a year... Think about the billions that the U.S. would lose on tobacco taxes! Inside a year you would have politicians giving cigarettes to 4th graders because they are losing money hand over fist, and one thing our great nation would never do is give up easy money.

For as much as they hate us, as much as they turn us into outlaws and cast outs they know that smokers of any kind are a huge cash cow. That doesn't mean we aren't going to get squeezed. But they will never do away with it. There is too much money to be made. Especially in todays economy...

Then again... if I'm wrong I plan to be running Black Market tobacco!

Well the PAD I had coming, is now a TAD again. I have been buying up everything I can, and have a few years put away, but I think I will be needing more. Its a sorry state of affairs the mess we are in, a shame really...

Maybe this is what the 'ancient's' meant by the 'End of the World'. I've got the jars to put about forty pounds more away, just need the cash for the tobac. As I have said before, my sympathies to you New Yorkers who have been seriously being raped for many years. It's one of the few things California doesn't lead in stupidity. Man this crap just pisses me off and a lot of it is because, like firearms, I feel pretty helpless to stop it. Ten pounds is two new rackets for me. I'd better start babying my rackets, (that'll cramp my playing style). Sorry, best I can do for a little levity on this subject.
HELP, I'm listening!

over on ASP I think, that a last-minute exception to the New York law was made for pipe and hookah tobaccos. I have not verified this, but, if so, it will still be available, if expensive.

I have previously put the "fee" allocation in the forum. This is a repeat. However, note that below the fees we are to pay, are listed the categories of tobacco that will be included. Pipe Tobacco is listed.

“(1) Amount of assessment.—The total amount of user fees authorized to be assessed and collected under subsection (a) for a fiscal year is the following, as applicable to the fiscal year involved:
“(A) For fiscal year 2009, $85,000,000 (subject to subsection (e)).
“(B) For fiscal year 2010, $235,000,000.
“(C) For fiscal year 2011, $450,000,000.
“(D) For fiscal year 2012, $477,000,000.
“(E) For fiscal year 2013, $505,000,000.
“(F) For fiscal year 2014, $534,000,000.
“(G) For fiscal year 2015, $566,000,000.
“(H) For fiscal year 2016, $599,000,000.
“(I) For fiscal year 2017, $635,000,000.
“(J) For fiscal year 2018, $672,000,000.
“(K) For fiscal year 2019 and each subsequent fiscal year, $712,000,000.

“(2) Allocations of assessment by class of tobacco products.—

“(A) In general.—The total user fees assessed and collected under subsection (a) each fiscal year with respect to each class of tobacco products shall be an amount that is equal to the applicable percentage of each class for the fiscal year multiplied by the amount specified in paragraph (1) for the fiscal year.

“(B) Applicable percentage.—

“(i) In general.—For purposes of subparagraph (A), the applicable percentage for a fiscal year for each of the following classes of tobacco products shall be determined in accordance with clause (ii):

“(I) Cigarettes.
“(II) Cigars, including small cigars and cigars other than small cigars.
“(III) Snuff.
“(IV) Chewing tobacco.
“(V) Pipe tobacco.
“(VI) Roll-your-own tobacco.

Here is a link to the "Act": http://www.pipesmokersintelligencer.org/Tobacco%20Control%20Act.htm

There is no exception for pipe tobacco in the Federal Act that I can see. Surely these fees will affect us all and probably sooner rather than later.

I'm using your problems in the USA as an excuse to myself to buy lots of tobacco.
Between this week and the next I'm scheduled to receive about 2kg from Synjeco, including a BIG tin of TF Heritage