So now what part two

[oklahoma red]

Since the first "so now what" thread part one has fallen into the inevitable pit of BS I thought I'd start again with this gem: the 2016 Nashville show has been canceled. Sponsors have backed out and I quote this: "numerous recurring vendors would not be able to participate in the show this year because these new regulations are forcing them to cease their pipe making operations".
Has the first domino fallen? From my musing in part one: "are pipe shows going to become extinct"? Could very well be. Is the Chicago show doomed? Scottie or George, what's the skinny among the KC group?
Is Briar Works International DOA or will they become solely international? Oh I forgot, will it be illegal to export a pipe? Will Grant Batson go back to making acoustic guitars? Man, those things have an awfully big bowl. What are these strings for?
My personal opinion inre writing to your elected officials is that it is a waste of time unless semi trucks filled with WTF letters start backing up to the halls of congress. Even that might have no effect. Unless they hail from tobacco producing states NO representative or senator wants to be under the cloud (no pun intended) of supporting anything to do with smoking. After all, their primary function in Washington is to get re-elected. We are in too small of a group to have any impact. Face it, what the Feds take away is rarely given back.
Again, now what? Will the "rubber handled measuring cup" concept work? Will our customers have to learn how to modify their recently purchased "wooden work of art"? Can that lathe-turned miniature wooden bowl purchased at a craft fair be used for anything else?
Must we turn our attention to the MJ legal states in order to ply our wares? Forget it unless you are willing to become a glass blower or are willing to sell your $300+ briar pipe for ten bucks. Trust me on this as I looked into it last year. Small, cheap, glass are the buzz words in that market.
Are we going to see Etsy and Ebay refusing to allow pipe sales? Will Steve Norse have to pull down his web site? And sit down for this one, will IG refuse pics of pipes? Show all the skin you want but NO PIPE PICS. Will Zuckerfucker remove anything pipe related from Facebook? (it's not our policy to censor anything) Liberal lying asshole.
Where will it stop. What will be the next target?
Rare Earth: "Hey Big Brother". Led Zeppelin: "Ramble On"

[sandahlpipe]

One of the biggest things I've heard as part of the FDA regulations is that tobacco samples will be prohibited. It's the samples at a show that introduce people to new blends, and that arm is being cut off, making the value of going to a show questionable. People go to pipe shows for the pipes, and maybe for a rare blend or two, not usually to stock up on tobacco. Sure, the vendors will sell tobacco, but if people can't even sample a bowl, it's going to be harder to get people interested. Not to mention the pending cost of compliance for tobacco manufacturers and retailers will be astronomical. They need to put their money into compliance now instead of sponsorship.

So I think whereas tobacco retailers were formerly a big part of sponsoring pipe shows, that role will diminsh. And if anyone does get hit by pipe regulations, it's going to be the factories, cutting off the other arm for sponsorship. I did read somewhere that eBay is going to stop allowing pipe sales, and if Etsy gets out of selling pipes, it wouldn't surprise me. But I doubt social media is going to change anytime soon. Censoring things does get unpopular even with people who don't give a lick about the thing being censored.

I do think there's going to be a bust in the market for pipes. Some people will want to stop collecting, but at the same time, when there's a black market for something, it increases the value. So those who can still provide a good value and stick around for it, I'd expect to see them have their prices drop little, if any. And I think even if US demand decreases, getting pipes smuggled to other countries will increase the value of American-made pipes. Also, if the cost of pipe tobacco increases as a result of compliance with regulations, that will at the same time attract a more wealthy demographic and suppress the less wealthy demographic. I would expect that the market for lower-end handmade pipes will slow down as a result.

Just my two cents. Don't spend it all in one spot.

[LatakiaLover]

The circumstances surrounding the hobby will change, the love people have for pipes and tobacco never will.

Remember all the dire predictions about the future of the music industry 12-14 years ago after the Internet became an undeniable force and was growing like a weed? No more studios, no more stars, no more music at all except what a few die-hard, no-talent, basement-dwelling kids too stupid to do something else produced? That workable distribution and compensation systems in the age of universal access and sharing were impossible by definition, so only small, local live shows in the manner of 18th century parlor and street corner concerts + crappy quality home videos was all the world would know of music, ever again?

How did that bit of crystal ball reading turn out?

I repeat: the pipe hobby's circumstances will change, but the love people have for pipes and tobacco never will.

Welcome to Planet Earth. Shit changes daily. Shit changes constantly. Those who fight change lose, those who adapt, win. Been that way for four billion years.

fwiw, Scottie was recently in touch with someone in a position to know some stuff, and she forwarded me this:

[oklahoma red]

Well now, that certainly puts a different spin on things. The sad part is that if one were to call back to that division and talk to a different person an entirely different story would probably emerge.
I'm going thru the same sort of BS, again involving the FDA, in regards to a new stack of food labeling regulations they regurgitated in May. In the case of the latter the wife of our wonderful president took aim at the nutritional panel on food products. In her eyes sugar is the root of all evil and convinced the FDA that changes in the way the nutritional panel is set up will completely cure obesity in the US. In truth it will be nothing but a bonanza for companies that print labels because over the next three years every food product sold in the US will have to have their labels overhauled. I got on the web site of the Federal Register and tried to read thru some of this crap and it was the most unbelievable bureaucratic gibberish I've ever had the displeasure to read. Absolutely mind-numbing. I'm in the process of bringing two BBQ sauces and two spice blends to market and everywhere I turn Big Brother is busting my gonads.
In both FDA cases the ink isn't dry so probably the best thing is to sit back, do nothing different than what we've always done and stay in out of the shit storm.
Too bad about the Nashville show. I hope the hysteria spreads no further and perhaps they'll be back next year.
Thank you Scottie and George.

[mredmond]

I don't know exactly what's going to happen with this FDA business, but I will say that if BriarWorks were considering ceasing production of pipes, they probably wouldn't have launched a new website and online store two days ago. I agree it's too bad about the Nashville show, I think the main issue there is that folks want to wait and see what happens before opening their wallets for sponsorships, especially tobacco manufacturers and retailers as they will almost certainly have to fork over more cash to the government and since they don't really know how hard of a hit they'll take it maybe doesn't make sense to get too invested in a show scheduled soon after the new rules go into affect. I look at the sky many times a day and it doesn't appear to be falling. Then again, I'm no sky scientist, so what do I know.

[pipedreamer]

Got a call from my congressman and the lawsuits have started. The whole thing is wrong. all of it. They are trying to put us out of business, tobacco, pipes, cigars , snus , dip, etc. The more people stand for it , the more they will take. These are liberals that don't know a pipe from a bong.The best thing all can do at this point is call or write Senators, Congressmen, to give them some support! Do nothing and you will see big tobacco kill off all the little guys and the independents. Money is at the bottom as usual. I dislike apathetic people that do nothing. That is why this is happening. They know human nature and will push till they are stopped. That means us . We have to stop them. Start writing and calling. If you don't ? You may not like the outcome.

[sam a]

On the topic of calling/ writing senators and or Congress people there is an interesting bit in this article:

http://legalpipes.com/blog/on-the-curre ... -our-hobby

Anyhow, my thought to the "so now what" question is simply just keep making good pipes my friends

[Sasquatch]

The cigar folks have apparently launched a legal attack here, and are seeking an injunction against the deeming based on a number of regulatory laws ostensibly violated by the deeming. So this should drag out a long time now.

[sandahlpipe]

Here's a summary of the lawsuit that was filed. At least it will probably hold off enforcement for a while.

http://thecigarauthority.com/looking-lawsuit-vs-fda/

[DocAitch]

Here's a summary of the lawsuit that was filed. At least it will probably hold off enforcement for a while.

http://thecigarauthority.com/looking-lawsuit-vs-fda/

Thank you Jeremiah.
It is encouraging to read this, although it should not relieve the rest of us from our duty to contact our law makers and add our voices in support of these initiatives.
DocAitch