LoL, It's probably long before your time but the FDA regulations went through a very long processes and we lost. As a guy who fought the WI smoking ban I know that if smoking were put up to a popular vote we would loose. Because legislatures don't like to say no to voters we were very lucky to keep smoking in cigar shops and lounges that make a large percentage from cigar sales. For every smoker who speaks up for their right to smoke in public the anti's will top that by 100. Most of the guys here can't smoke even a few bowls a week in their own homes, that has to tell you how unpopular smoking is. I've been saying this for years, it will not be the government but your employer, their insurance provider or your wife or other that will get you to quit smoking.
I'm going to have to agree with @daveinlax on this.
The government - local, state and federal - will most of the time go with the popular opinion and vote. Cigar and pipe smokers are too few in number to really get more than cursory attention from the politicians. The fact that the cigarette industry know as Big Tobacco did so many things wrong in the 60s & 70s doesn't help either. The anti's don't even care about what their own science says about pipe and cigar smoking, all the care about are the numbers showing how dangerous cigarette tobacco is and their desire to ban all tobacco products.
Appeasement didn't work in dealing with the Nazis and it most likely won't work for us either. It's the whole "give 'em an inch" thing. That's what troubles me. How do you get them to stop and exactly when will they be satisfied?
At the end. it's all about money. Look at who is making money with all this mess and you will find the insurances companies. They lobby for that because they don't want expend Money, so they sell the idea to the public and about the politicians, they want votes and look good, so don't expect much about them. But about ban the tobacco industry, the govern also like and need money and tobacco pay a lot in taxes. Also, if they have half brain, they better remember the 30's, when the zealots of public health ban alcoholic beverages and got a very big black market.
Just learned that effective this year, there is a ban on smoking on seven beaches (and boardwalks) of the Jersey Shore. No cigarettes, cigars, or pipes permitted on the beaches of Cape May, Wildwood, Atlantic City, Barnegat Peninsula
(The whole 22-mile swath from Point Pleasant to Island Beach State Park), Asbury Park, Ocean City, and Avalon.
@Londy3 You've got to be kidding. Surely grills will be banned next because the cooking odors might offend your next door neighbor. Civil liberties seem not to be an issue anymore to the general public.
I'll readily admit to being a conspiracy theory nut and I'd suggest you look at the Geo-engineering and chemtrails in the sky. If the Powers That Be are so concerned with our health and well being - and what we're inhaling into our lungs - they should consider tackling an issue like that and not the pipe smoke emanating out of a half dozen or so pipe smokers residing in a Community.
The government will never outlaw tobacco yet they will tax the crap out of it and regulate where it can be smoked.
All this in the effort to force smokers to quit on our own because smoking is becoming so cost prohibitive and difficult to freely enjoy as we once did.
@Charles That's why I love AND hate to watch the old classic movies. I love to watch all the pipe smoking taking place, but I hate how they remind me of how much we are now restricted. For over 25 years I freely smoked my pipe in the work place. A freedom taken for granted I guess...
@Charles; So far it's just certain towns banning use on the beach, My town has no beach but the only town space I can smoke in is in the parking lot in my car.
@Woodsman, I have heard from a few friends that were in Wildwood last week that so far there is no smoking ban on the beach, just on the boardwalk. I am not sure about Cape May. I am planning on going there within the next couple of weeks.
Gotta tell you guys, the apparent "fait accompli" espoused by some here, is disappointing to say the least.
To dismiss the heavy handed over reach of our Government, be they Local, State or Federal, is a very dangerous thing.
What the FDA is attempting to do is very far from what their original charter claimed their intent was to be. They were essentially formed to ensure that food stuffs and medicine were unadulterated, and actually contained the things they were supposed to.
To glibly shrug our shoulders and acquiesce that "Oh well.... Our Boss or our Girlfriend will most likely make me quit smoking Way before the Government steps in and Makes it Illegal" absolutely blows my mind!
Not to get too political ... but I think the best thing that can happen to us as pipe smokers is for Trump to take a hard stance against all tobacco products. Then the media would take the opposing viewpoint and we'd get them off our backs while they focused more hate and rage against Trump. Use his media unpopularity to our advantage.
@Bonanzadriver I couldn't agree more. I recently posted about the FDA's mandate that warning labels must be plastered on all tobacco products ("Deeming Rule and Tin Warnings"), including pipe tobacco tins, cigar boxes, etc begining in August and how pathetic it was that works of art like we see on many cigar boxes and tins would be covered up. Some (and I emphasize SOME) of the responses I got were surprisingly apathetic and dismissive. I ended my post by trying to explain why we as pipe smokers should fight against such dictates and that it was yet another example of government intrusion into our daily lives, but that's where the comments ended. I understand we all have our own personal crises and worries to deal with, but as pipe smokers, I would think the outcry against such erosion of our civil liberties would be unanimous, loud and clear, at least on this website anyway.
Hi It certainly is here. I keep up with the issue through numerous sources and have sent emails to the FDA, congressman and Senators. If one can, try joining Cigar Rights of America (I know not directly pipe related though if you follow closely they are helping across the board.). and other groups/ organizations who are fighting this in the courts. One can also comment on blogs, Facebook etc. where folks can hear another side to this story. There are many other things one can do as well.
@jim102864 I think we are such a small community that there is no real upside for politicians to champion our cause. The consensus among most Americans is that cigarettes and tobacco products are unhealthy. It's been drummed into their heads for decades now. So for a politician to stick his or her neck-out on our account won't further their career. And since a majority of American don't smoke they won't get behind us even though it's an infringement on our rights. There have been just as many studies to suggest how unhealthy carbonated soft drinks, salty snacks, and sugary snack cakes can be. And are instrumental in obesity and childhood diabetes. Problem is at some time or another a majority of Americans indulge in the consumption of one or all of the above. Now if potato chips, Twinkies, ice cream, and French fries were suddenly restricted or banned by the FDA citing health reasons the American citizenry would be in an uproar. When the Mayor or Governor (I can't remember which) of New York suggested limiting the size of soft drinks both the citizens as well as commentators on rivals news networks like CNN, MSNBC, and FOX seemed to take a Libertarian approach complaining about the Nanny State. As well they should have. And those same people should feel the same outrage for the Deeming Regulations against cigars and pipe tobacco products. But why would they? Those people who complained the loudest about restricting the size of their cup of Pepsi are probably the same folks who have relegated us smokers to stand outside storefronts or back alleyways during a work break for a quick smoke, giving us the stink-eye when smoking in their general vicinity.
Comments
Most of the guys here can't smoke even a few bowls a week in their own homes, that has to tell you how unpopular smoking is. I've been saying this for years, it will not be the government but your employer, their insurance provider or your wife or other that will get you to quit smoking.
Well, you know what the Nazi's wanted,
All this in the effort to force smokers to quit on our own because smoking is becoming so cost prohibitive and difficult to freely enjoy as we once did.
To dismiss the heavy handed over reach of our Government, be they Local, State or Federal, is a very dangerous thing.
What the FDA is attempting to do is very far from what their original charter claimed their intent was to be. They were essentially formed to ensure that food stuffs and medicine were unadulterated, and actually contained the things they were supposed to.
To glibly shrug our shoulders and acquiesce that "Oh well.... Our Boss or our Girlfriend will most likely make me quit smoking Way before the Government steps in and Makes it Illegal" absolutely blows my mind!
It certainly is here. I keep up with the issue through numerous sources and have sent emails to the FDA, congressman and Senators. If one can, try joining Cigar Rights of America (I know not directly pipe related though if you follow closely they are helping across the board.). and other groups/ organizations who are fighting this in the courts. One can also comment on blogs, Facebook etc. where folks can hear another side to this story. There are many other things one can do as well.
First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/edmund_burke_377528