Is this the end of the world?

[Kyle Weiss]

I'm just gonna be happy bein' an outlaw, then. I'm in the right state. Only reason why they don't grow too much weed here is the lack of water and temperature extremes. Tobacco might do pretty well.

*shrug* We'll see. :cheers:

Eff 'em.

8)

 

[the rev]

I'm a rebel dottie

rev

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I'm a rebel dottie

rev

Was that a Get Up Kids song reference? :lol:

 

[the rev]

no

:evil:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

no

:evil:

:cheers: Good.

 

[the rev]

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[bosun1]

They aren't going to make it illegal. It is a too easy a source of easy money for local, state, and federal levels of government. They can make it so expensive due to taxation that the majority of the populace will have to cut down quite a bit just as long as they get their pound of flesh. Also since we buy a lot of our tobaccos from overseas now (we are paying U.S. tobacco farmers to grow something else) the U.N. will be whining about Fair Trade and our financial abuse of the poorer countries.
Be self-sufficient and grow your own. You won't be able to achieve the results you get from the master blenders, but it will still be good! Only thing keeping me from trying my own hand at it is the space needed to cure it!

 

[BigCasino]

Grow your own tobacco, illegal or not they look like flowers, and there are many strains that are grown in flower beds already, most of the time they turn there heads at the maryjane I couldn't imagine getting busted for toebacky

 

[Orson]

Just my $0.02

The state and federal revenues obtained via tobacco excise tax are compelling reasons not to fear outright prohibition. Also, such proposed legislation would be untimely and politically untenable during a recovery from a recession, because of the resulting job loss and perceived attack on the "poor man's luxury".

Unreasonable taxation is another story. Cigar and pipe smokers must better distinguish themselves from cigarette smokers in the legislator's eye. The medical evidence is so damning that it can justify almost any tax on cigarettes. It's really hard and unpopular to defend cigarettes. Pipes and Cigars are a different matter altogether and unless we clearly demonstrate this difference, then the inevitable policy changes- motivated by the harm of cigarettes, will have a chilling effect on us too.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

The problem is, pipe tobacco and cigarette tobacco are very closely related on a market sense. Our leaf comes from the same leaf as the deathstick peddlers, but our stuff doesn't get sprayed, doused and sprinkled with all the magic components Big Tobacco won't talk about. Pipe tobacco is purchased, as I understand it, as the surplus or stuff all the big ciggy guys don't use. If it weren't for cigarettes, we'd likely be smoking our own home-grown leaf in our pipes anyway. Or expensive cigar-type leaf from South America. It's a sad but real truth, shackled to the beast that's causing the problem. So, you either support Big Tobacco, or no tobacco. Damn shame, if you ask me.

Seriously...start practicing your cultivation/drying/maturing skills now. By the time your cellar runs out or goes bad, you might be able to keep going at a reasonable price. :lol:

8)

 

[Northern Neil]

I tried my hand a growing my own tobacco this summer. It finished colour curing just after Christmas. I am just waiting for winter to end so I can start fermenting.

Anyone concerned with tobacco taxes, I strongly recomend growing your own, space permitting. Don't get me wrong, it is a lot of work, but doesn't cost much other than your time.

I am not expecting much from my first batch, but I am hoping lessons were learned and each new batch will get better and better as my skills develop.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Sometimes it's the journey, not the destination. I'm pretty sure the sweet flavor of hard work, learning and satisfaction will account for much of one's home-grown leaf when smoked. 8)

 

[the rev]

I am too busy growing Kale chard spinach basil and tomatoes to grow tobacco

truth is long beach is not dry, and usually not very hot either

rev

 

[joemelon]

You know, as someone in horticulture I thought this was going to be a thread on something I think may be more serious for future folks but not so much for us and that would be loss of land suitable for growing tobacco. As far as a doomsday for tobacco that political/social, I don't see that coming. The entire nearly 500 year history of tobacco after making it's way from the Americas has been it coming and going out of style, methods of use and abuse changing in popularity, so on and so forth.

Taxes on it keep going up? Yeah, until they start losing that tax revenue and raising it will only mean more losses since less folks will be buying it in lesser amounts. Still, growing it yourself sounds like an awesome experience but time is money and I'd rather put the time into getting the money to buy it from more experienced folk than myself. Granted, as for as just as a hobby, I wouldn't mind trying my hand at growing my own.

 

[Kashmir]

There is an epic battle going on over tobacco. On the one hand it generates a huge taxable revenue stream. And on the other, America has swung to the left and the progressives have the upper hand. At least till the next elections. I don't think tobacco will be outlawed outright, but I think the PC crowd will attempt to tax it to death. Look at the UK now. Friends there are green with envy at our low prices. So I think prices for pipe tobacco are likely to rise severely in the coming years. Then we'll be in the same boat as our European brothers. What to do? Well, stock up the cellar. Even if prices do not rise as dramatically as I'm predicting, one things fer sure they'll never go down. Pipe tobacco will never be as cheap as it is today. I'm seriously thinking of taking a small loan, say $5000 and stocking my cellar full. Then I won't have to worry about it. I'm 54 now and figure I'll need about 300 pounds. Got about 30 lbs. now. Anyways that's my two cents on the subject.

 

[BurleyLegal]

I'm not particularly worried about the outright banning of smoking. A trip to your local Starbucks or Whole Foods will show that the vast majority of the leftist hipster types are cigarette smokers. I do worry about the price, though. I only smoke a pipe or two a day, so keeping a regular supply doesn't worry me. However, if the price soars into the stratosphere I fear that will seriously hinder my "tin of this, bag of that" forays.
The hipsters have been getting into more classical pursuits like fine bourbon and handlebar moustaches, if we could get them off the cigs and into pipes we may dodge the taxman's bullet yet!

 

[the rev]

yeah I find the Christian right to be behind the anti tobacco movement in California at least

rev

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I had to hide my pipe yesterday...went to a quasi-hipster coffee shop where I used to roast coffee and hung out for a bit, and of course, some mustache-proud, skinny-jeaned jackass pulled out some Medico he found (probably that day) and a sack of bad aromatics...hoping with hope I'd notice. Fortunately as the pipe has become a part of me rather than a curious accessory, even the fashionistas know who is a Briargansta versus a wannabe. :lol:

Attitude is everything. Especially when you hear nothing but gurgling, sizzling and soggy smoking going on not but five feet away.

At least they're keeping the way of the pipe alive...sort of.

8)

 

[monbla256]

yeah I find the Christian right to be behind the anti tobacco movement in California at least

rev

I think the "Anti" crowd is more bi-partison than many of us realize. A major player in the "Anti" crowd down here in Texas is a major Tea Party person who is a minister from down in Houston. His wife died of lung cancer from cancer sticks and he's pissed so he's got a "cause" :roll:

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I think the "Anti" crowd is more bi-partison than many of us realize.

Truth. However, the tobacco-okay crowd is just as diverse, so... *shrug* Hell, even I'm undecided: I think cigarettes and Big Tobacco are horrible, but I then again, I don't shoebox "tobacco" as a many-headed hydra, either. Plus, the cigarette companies make pipe tobacco that much more available and possible for us.

So complicated. *sigh*